Total births
3,721
Girls' name · since 1913
Lanita
Since 1913, U.S. Social Security records show 3,721 babies named Lanita, peaking in 1958. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12232
- among girls today
- 3,721
- born since 1913
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Lanita is the #12232 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 3,721 recorded since 1913.
Social Security Administration records show Lanita recorded 3,721 times among girls since 1913, holding rank #12232 nationally today, ahead of 31% of girls, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1913 to 2025.
- #12232 among girls today
- 3,721 born since 1913
- 1960s peak decade
- 31% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Lanita is currently the #12232 girls' name in America, more common than 31% of girls - 3,721 born since 1913, peaking in the 1960s.
- #12232
- among girls today
- 3,721
- born since 1913
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other girls
Lanita vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#12232
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 31% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Lanita was born in this single decade.
1958
Single peak year
113 babies were named Lanita in 1958 - its busiest year on record.
How Lanita compares
3,721 Top 16% higher than 84% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Lanita's all-time total is 10x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Lanita | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,721 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 113 | 48 | 19,840 |
Lanita's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Lanita splits its recorded history at 1972: 43% of all births land in the more recent half, 57% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1913 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1958 peak of 113 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Lanita at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1958
Current rank
#12,232
Active since
1913
Lanita popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2025
- Peak year (1958)
- 113
- Annual births at peak, across 113 years of records
Lanita by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Lanita's strongest decade.
806 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Lanita births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 24
1910s
24 births
- 1920s 81
1920s
81 births
- 1930s 143
1930s
143 births
- 1940s 320
1940s
320 births
- 1950s
1950s
616 births
- 1960s
1960s
806 births
- 1970s
1970s
718 births
- 1980s
1980s
513 births
- 1990s 226
1990s
226 births
- 2000s 141
2000s
141 births
- 2010s 89
2010s
89 births
- 2020s 44
2020s
44 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 806 births (22% of all-time use).
How Lanita compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Lanita's total volume
Lanita vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Lanita by state
Where Lanita concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 351 | 9.4% |
| #2 | California | | 211 | 5.7% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 118 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Oklahoma | | 79 | 2.1% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 65 | 1.7% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 41 | 1.1% |
| #7 | Florida | | 39 | 1.0% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 32 | 0.9% |
Texas share of Lanita's total US births 9.4%
Even split
351 of 3,721 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Lanita appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Lanita? ▼
Since 1913, Social Security records show 3,721 babies named Lanita. Today it holds rank #12232 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1958, with 113 births.
When was Lanita most popular? ▼
Lanita was most popular in the 1960s decade with 806 total births. The single peak year was 1958.
Where is Lanita most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Lanita are Texas (351 births), California (211 births), Illinois (118 births).
How long has the name Lanita been used? ▼
Lanita has been recorded in Social Security data since 1913, spanning 113 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Lanita? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Lana, Laney, Lani, Landry, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Lanita's data
- Lanita's decade-level peak was the 1960s (806 total births); usage has since declined to 44 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Lanitas (351 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Lanita
Nearby Names Like Lanita
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Lanita
Lana Girl
#374 57,434 births
Laney Girl
#689 14,024 births
Lani Girl
#1902 7,373 births
Landry Girl
#1192 5,842 births
Lanie Girl
#1825 5,602 births
Compare Lanita side by side: Lanita vs Lana Lanita vs Laney Lanita vs Lani
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Lanita
Karlene #12231
4,167 births · Peak 1959
Vivie #12233
121 births · Peak 2025
Joetta #12230
3,558 births · Peak 1954
Chris #12234
22,955 births · Peak 1961
Sophy #12229
508 births · Peak 2002
Annelle #12235
1,106 births · Peak 1947
Sondra #12228
27,074 births · Peak 1942
Ruthanna #12236
785 births · Peak 1923
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, 1913–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Lanita: #12232 Girls' Name - 3,721 Births, Peak 1958." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/lanita. 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 Lanita 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.