Fun Facts About the Name Larry
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 807,572 boys named Larry from 1880 through 2025.
- Decades of popularity: Larry stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 55 consecutive years, from 1931 through 1985.
- More than 811 thousand babies named Larry: U.S. records list 811,132 babies given the name Larry from 1880 through 2025. Even 3,560 girls received the name Larry - about 1 girl for every 227 boys.
What Does the Name Larry Mean?
Larry is an English pet form of Lawrence, also spelled Laurence. The parent name comes from Latin Laurentius, a Roman cognomen meaning "of Laurentum," a town in ancient Latium. The town name Laurentum is often connected with Latin laurus, "laurel," so the customary meaning of Lawrence and Larry is "from Laurentum" or "laurel-crowned." The literal sense is local: a person from Laurentum. The laurel interpretation is a later symbolic reading, since laurel wreaths were given for victory and honor in classical culture. Larry itself is a shortened, familiar form made by adding the English diminutive ending -y to the first syllable of Lawrence.
Larry Name History & Origins
The Latin name Laurentius was used in the Roman world and became widely known through Saint Lawrence, a deacon of the church in Rome who was martyred in 258 during the persecution under the emperor Valerian. Devotion to him spread across Christian Europe, and his Latin name was adapted into local forms: Laurent in French, Lorenzo in Italian, and Laurence or Lawrence in English. The English form Lawrence was established in the Middle Ages, helped by devotion to the saint and by churches dedicated to him.
Larry developed as an English diminutive of Lawrence. The first part of Lawrence, Lawr-, plus the familiar English ending -y, produced Larry. It is mainly a pet form and later an independent given name. In some cases Larry has also been used as a short form of Hilary, a name from Latin Hilarius meaning "cheerful," but this is a secondary use. Larry is now used as a given name in its own right as well as a nickname.
How Popular is the Name Larry?
Larry remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1931 to 1985. Its highest annual birth count was in 1947, and people born that year turn 79 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | #10,096 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #9,257 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #9,168 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #9,156 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #6,816 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #12,197 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #6,768 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #3,959 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1987 | #4,584 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1986 | #3,960 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1985 | #3,204 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1984 | #3,283 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1983 | #2,880 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 1982 | #2,923 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1981 | #2,429 | 40 | 0.0024% |
| 1980 | #1,951 | 55 | 0.0033% |
| 1979 | #2,450 | 38 | 0.0024% |
| 1978 | #1,875 | 53 | 0.0035% |
| 1977 | #1,964 | 50 | 0.0033% |
| 1976 | #2,015 | 44 | 0.0030% |
| 1975 | #2,006 | 44 | 0.0030% |
| 1974 | #1,982 | 43 | 0.0029% |
| 1973 | #1,426 | 69 | 0.0047% |
| 1972 | #1,480 | 65 | 0.0043% |
| 1971 | #1,763 | 51 | 0.0031% |
| 1970 | #1,552 | 63 | 0.0036% |
| 1969 | #1,410 | 68 | 0.0040% |
| 1968 | #1,358 | 68 | 0.0041% |
| 1967 | #1,531 | 54 | 0.0033% |
| 1966 | #1,502 | 55 | 0.0033% |
| 1965 | #1,565 | 51 | 0.0029% |
| 1964 | #1,763 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 1963 | #1,701 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 1962 | #1,401 | 63 | 0.0032% |
| 1961 | #1,411 | 63 | 0.0031% |
| 1960 | #1,170 | 87 | 0.0043% |
| 1959 | #1,154 | 86 | 0.0043% |
| 1958 | #1,068 | 97 | 0.0048% |
| 1957 | #1,012 | 107 | 0.0052% |
| 1956 | #995 | 106 | 0.0053% |
| 1955 | #911 | 117 | 0.0060% |
| 1954 | #1,043 | 89 | 0.0046% |
| 1953 | #978 | 96 | 0.0051% |
| 1952 | #993 | 91 | 0.0049% |
| 1951 | #918 | 100 | 0.0056% |
| 1950 | #864 | 106 | 0.0062% |
| 1949 | #920 | 93 | 0.0054% |
| 1948 | #983 | 79 | 0.0047% |
| 1947 | #982 | 81 | 0.0046% |
| 1946 | #916 | 84 | 0.0053% |
| 1945 | #972 | 64 | 0.0049% |
| 1944 | #843 | 82 | 0.0062% |
| 1943 | #951 | 69 | 0.0049% |
| 1942 | #982 | 64 | 0.0047% |
| 1941 | #967 | 58 | 0.0048% |
| 1940 | #836 | 73 | 0.0064% |
| 1939 | #1,069 | 45 | 0.0041% |
| 1938 | #1,153 | 40 | 0.0036% |
| 1937 | #1,319 | 31 | 0.0029% |
| 1936 | #1,125 | 40 | 0.0038% |
| 1935 | #1,744 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1934 | #1,742 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1933 | #2,103 | 15 | 0.0015% |
| 1932 | #1,916 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1931 | #2,497 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #2,781 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1929 | #3,044 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1928 | #2,694 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1926 | #4,090 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #3,242 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #3,848 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1923 | #3,511 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1922 | #3,845 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1920 | #3,474 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #3,336 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1918 | #4,080 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1917 | #3,529 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1916 | #4,160 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1914 | #3,407 | 6 | 0.0008% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,085 | 198 | 0.0116% |
| 2024 | #1,068 | 204 | 0.0119% |
| 2023 | #1,009 | 218 | 0.0128% |
| 2022 | #892 | 264 | 0.0151% |
| 2021 | #865 | 270 | 0.0154% |
| 2020 | #840 | 272 | 0.0158% |
| 2019 | #764 | 311 | 0.0173% |
| 2018 | #704 | 344 | 0.0189% |
| 2017 | #630 | 413 | 0.0223% |
| 2016 | #604 | 446 | 0.0235% |
| 2015 | #558 | 515 | 0.0269% |
| 2014 | #513 | 545 | 0.0284% |
| 2013 | #479 | 581 | 0.0307% |
| 2012 | #425 | 659 | 0.0347% |
| 2011 | #398 | 716 | 0.0377% |
| 2010 | #364 | 813 | 0.0424% |
| 2009 | #388 | 783 | 0.0395% |
| 2008 | #374 | 824 | 0.0404% |
| 2007 | #331 | 963 | 0.0464% |
| 2006 | #379 | 791 | 0.0385% |
| 2005 | #358 | 828 | 0.0415% |
| 2004 | #334 | 898 | 0.0452% |
| 2003 | #315 | 950 | 0.0481% |
| 2002 | #304 | 954 | 0.0491% |
| 2001 | #290 | 1,030 | 0.0530% |
| 2000 | #280 | 1,118 | 0.0569% |
| 1999 | #250 | 1,255 | 0.0654% |
| 1998 | #248 | 1,208 | 0.0632% |
| 1997 | #243 | 1,239 | 0.0657% |
| 1996 | #220 | 1,371 | 0.0724% |
| 1995 | #210 | 1,401 | 0.0736% |
| 1994 | #196 | 1,559 | 0.0807% |
| 1993 | #183 | 1,780 | 0.0908% |
| 1992 | #173 | 1,863 | 0.0933% |
| 1991 | #157 | 2,074 | 0.1027% |
| 1990 | #144 | 2,194 | 0.1068% |
| 1989 | #131 | 2,337 | 0.1168% |
| 1988 | #123 | 2,448 | 0.1279% |
| 1987 | #114 | 2,504 | 0.1341% |
| 1986 | #108 | 2,620 | 0.1423% |
| 1985 | #97 | 2,946 | 0.1594% |
| 1984 | #91 | 3,105 | 0.1720% |
| 1983 | #85 | 3,381 | 0.1886% |
| 1982 | #77 | 3,720 | 0.2050% |
| 1981 | #73 | 3,954 | 0.2207% |
| 1980 | #70 | 4,263 | 0.2389% |
| 1979 | #69 | 4,393 | 0.2552% |
| 1978 | #64 | 4,514 | 0.2749% |
| 1977 | #62 | 4,838 | 0.2944% |
| 1976 | #60 | 4,841 | 0.3085% |
| 1975 | #56 | 5,308 | 0.3399% |
| 1974 | #55 | 5,694 | 0.3621% |
| 1973 | #50 | 6,080 | 0.3901% |
| 1972 | #47 | 6,603 | 0.4072% |
| 1971 | #44 | 7,764 | 0.4390% |
| 1970 | #43 | 8,105 | 0.4361% |
| 1969 | #40 | 8,281 | 0.4631% |
| 1968 | #38 | 8,233 | 0.4737% |
| 1967 | #38 | 8,332 | 0.4778% |
| 1966 | #38 | 8,707 | 0.4882% |
| 1965 | #38 | 9,405 | 0.5056% |
| 1964 | #36 | 10,677 | 0.5358% |
| 1963 | #36 | 11,668 | 0.5745% |
| 1962 | #31 | 12,710 | 0.6144% |
| 1961 | #30 | 14,581 | 0.6865% |
| 1960 | #28 | 15,986 | 0.7498% |
| 1959 | #25 | 18,432 | 0.8635% |
| 1958 | #22 | 20,079 | 0.9461% |
| 1957 | #22 | 21,938 | 1.0169% |
| 1956 | #21 | 22,324 | 1.0553% |
| 1955 | #19 | 22,820 | 1.1079% |
| 1954 | #19 | 24,612 | 1.2072% |
| 1953 | #18 | 25,207 | 1.2780% |
| 1952 | #14 | 28,241 | 1.4530% |
| 1951 | #11 | 30,559 | 1.6230% |
| 1950 | #11 | 31,478 | 1.7583% |
| 1949 | #10 | 31,817 | 1.7936% |
| 1948 | #11 | 33,434 | 1.9055% |
| 1947 | #10 | 34,945 | 1.9100% |
| 1946 | #11 | 28,449 | 1.7518% |
| 1945 | #11 | 22,824 | 1.6959% |
| 1944 | #12 | 22,025 | 1.6161% |
| 1943 | #12 | 22,979 | 1.6100% |
| 1942 | #12 | 22,099 | 1.6001% |
| 1941 | #11 | 20,135 | 1.6393% |
| 1940 | #13 | 17,200 | 1.4838% |
| 1939 | #14 | 14,531 | 1.3128% |
| 1938 | #16 | 12,393 | 1.1174% |
| 1937 | #16 | 10,320 | 0.9675% |
| 1936 | #25 | 7,612 | 0.7339% |
| 1935 | #33 | 5,975 | 0.5738% |
| 1934 | #43 | 4,473 | 0.4332% |
| 1933 | #58 | 3,251 | 0.3279% |
| 1932 | #65 | 2,826 | 0.2706% |
| 1931 | #88 | 2,147 | 0.2065% |
| 1930 | #108 | 1,719 | 0.1566% |
| 1929 | #135 | 1,268 | 0.1179% |
| 1928 | #150 | 1,068 | 0.0964% |
| 1927 | #176 | 836 | 0.0742% |
| 1926 | #178 | 807 | 0.0727% |
| 1925 | #190 | 724 | 0.0649% |
| 1924 | #237 | 575 | 0.0508% |
| 1923 | #245 | 519 | 0.0473% |
| 1922 | #254 | 491 | 0.0451% |
| 1921 | #255 | 491 | 0.0446% |
| 1920 | #261 | 440 | 0.0413% |
| 1919 | #265 | 405 | 0.0413% |
| 1918 | #266 | 398 | 0.0393% |
| 1917 | #290 | 322 | 0.0348% |
| 1916 | #298 | 301 | 0.0338% |
| 1915 | #288 | 301 | 0.0355% |
| 1914 | #268 | 267 | 0.0408% |
| 1913 | #262 | 212 | 0.0414% |
| 1912 | #278 | 164 | 0.0381% |
| 1911 | #272 | 92 | 0.0407% |
| 1910 | #218 | 114 | 0.0587% |
| 1909 | #237 | 87 | 0.0531% |
| 1908 | #254 | 70 | 0.0454% |
| 1907 | #265 | 63 | 0.0429% |
| 1906 | #229 | 72 | 0.0541% |
| 1905 | #230 | 72 | 0.0544% |
| 1904 | #224 | 70 | 0.0546% |
| 1903 | #246 | 57 | 0.0478% |
| 1902 | #277 | 46 | 0.0375% |
| 1901 | #299 | 35 | 0.0329% |
| 1900 | #261 | 62 | 0.0412% |
| 1899 | #302 | 34 | 0.0320% |
| 1898 | #300 | 39 | 0.0318% |
| 1897 | #325 | 33 | 0.0293% |
| 1896 | #303 | 38 | 0.0318% |
| 1895 | #299 | 37 | 0.0315% |
| 1894 | #293 | 36 | 0.0311% |
| 1893 | #387 | 22 | 0.0196% |
| 1892 | #453 | 19 | 0.0156% |
| 1891 | #437 | 17 | 0.0168% |
| 1890 | #366 | 24 | 0.0216% |
| 1889 | #537 | 13 | 0.0118% |
| 1888 | #435 | 19 | 0.0157% |
| 1887 | #416 | 17 | 0.0168% |
| 1886 | #363 | 23 | 0.0208% |
| 1885 | #419 | 19 | 0.0176% |
| 1884 | #441 | 18 | 0.0157% |
| 1883 | #544 | 12 | 0.0115% |
| 1882 | #730 | 8 | 0.0070% |
| 1881 | #678 | 8 | 0.0079% |
| 1880 | #513 | 13 | 0.0118% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
