Unisex name · since 1973
Ly
Ly has 280 recorded births since 1973 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1984 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #16,507 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 280
- born since 1973
- 1980s
- peak decade
280 girls have been named Ly since 1973, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ly has been recorded 280 times among girls since 1973, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1973 to 2008.
- #16,507 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 280 born since 1973
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ly ranks #16,507 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 280 born since 1973, peaking in the 1980s.
- #16,507 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 280
- born since 1973
- 1980s
- peak decade
Ly's 280 recorded births place it above 77.16% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.
Ly's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Ly's SSA record in two at 1990 and the more recent half accounts for 38% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 62%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1973, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1984 peak of 24, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Ly popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1973–2008
- Peak year (1984)
- 24
- Annual births at peak, across 36 years of records
Ly popularity over time - boys
119 total births recorded since 1978 (Ly as boys' name)
Ly by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (147 births, 53% of the file).
1980s was Ly's strongest decade.
147 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 53% of all-time use.
Ly births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 28
1970s
28 births
- 1980s
1980s
147 births
- 1990s
1990s
79 births
- 2000s 26
2000s
26 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 147 births (53% of all-time use).
Ly by state
Where Ly concentrates geographically, total births since 1973
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 44 | 15.7% |
44 of 280 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Ly's data
- Ly's decade-level peak was the 1980s (147 total births); usage has since declined to 26 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Lys (44 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ly
Nearby Names Like Ly
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ly
Compare Ly side by side: Ly vs Lydia Ly vs Lynn Ly vs Lynda
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Ly: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1984)
Similar record span (~35 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1973–2008 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Ly 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 August 2026.