Total births
1,063
Unisex name · since 1914
Lanier
1,063 babies named Lanier in U.S. Social Security records since 1914, with the highest year being 1952. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #7819
- among boys today
- 1,063
- born since 1914
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other boys
1,063 babies have been named Lanier since 1914, making it today's #7819 unisex name.
Lanier has 1,063 recorded births among boys since 1914, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7819 as of the latest data, more common than 45% of boys, busiest in the 1940s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #7819 among boys today
- 1,063 born since 1914
- 1940s peak decade
- 45% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Lanier is currently the #7819 unisex name in America, more common than 45% of boys - 1,063 born since 1914, peaking in the 1940s.
- #7819
- among boys today
- 1,063
- born since 1914
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other boys
Lanier vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7819
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 45% of names given to boys today.
1940s
Peak decade
12% of everyone ever named Lanier was born in this single decade.
1952
Single peak year
19 babies were named Lanier in 1952 - its busiest year on record.
How Lanier compares
1,063 Top 30% higher than 70% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Lanier's all-time total is 190% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lanier | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,063 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 19 | 23 | 22,252 |
Lanier's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Lanier's SSA record in two at 1969 and the more recent half accounts for 45% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 55%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1916, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1952 peak of 19, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Lanier at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1952
Current rank
#7,819
Active since
1914
Lanier popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (1952)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Lanier popularity over time - girls
154 total births recorded since 1924 (Lanier as girls' name)
Lanier by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Lanier's strongest decade.
130 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 12% of all-time use.
Lanier births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 35
1910s
35 births
- 1920s
1920s
113 births
- 1930s
1930s
90 births
- 1940s
1940s
130 births
- 1950s
1950s
114 births
- 1960s
1960s
105 births
- 1970s
1970s
117 births
- 1980s
1980s
103 births
- 1990s
1990s
85 births
- 2000s
2000s
53 births
- 2010s
2010s
70 births
- 2020s 48
2020s
48 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 130 births (12% of all-time use).
How Lanier compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Lanier's total volume
Lanier vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Lanier by state
Where Lanier concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 66 | 6.2% |
| #2 | California | | 5 | 0.5% |
Georgia share of Lanier's total US births 6.2%
Even split
66 of 1,063 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lanier? ▼
Lanier has been given to 1,063 babies in the U.S. since 1914, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #7819 as of the latest data. 19 babies were born in 1952, its single highest year.
When was Lanier most popular? ▼
Lanier was most popular in the 1940s decade with 130 total births. The single peak year was 1952.
Where is Lanier most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lanier are Georgia (66 births), California (5 births).
Is Lanier a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Lanier is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,063 births, and as a girl's name it has 154 births.
How long has the name Lanier been used? ▼
Lanier has been recorded in Social Security data since 1914, spanning 112 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Lanier? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Landon, Lance, Lane, Landen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Lanier's data
- Lanier's usage has stayed within range of its 1940s decade-level peak (130 total births) through the 2020s (48) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Georgia records the most Laniers (66 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Lanier
Nearby Names Like Lanier
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lanier
Landon Boy
#106 186,603 births
Lance Boy
#840 105,839 births
Lane Boy
#261 47,562 births
Landen Boy
#815 26,819 births
Landyn Boy
#949 11,887 births
Compare Lanier side by side: Lanier vs Landon Lanier vs Lance Lanier vs Lane
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lanier
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lanier: #7819 Unisex Name - 1,063 Births, Peak 1952." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lanier. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Lanier draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.