Given name
Lanny
“from the renowned land”
Lanny is a form of Roland. One German interpretation is “from the renowned land.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Lanny carries the interpretation “from the renowned land.” Lanny is a form of Roland. One German interpretation is “from the renowned land.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
Lanny is used as a form of Roland.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1919. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Lanny is a form of Roland. The history of Roland gives this family its wider story. The Chanson de Roland tells of Charlemagne’s follower Roland and his death at Roncesvalles. His devoted friendship with Oliver forms part of that literary tradition; in Italian versions, Roland becomes Orlando. In English use, Lanny is a diminutive of Laurence. The history of Laurence gives this family its wider story. Laurence was in use during the Middle Ages.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Lanny through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 9,644
- 9,577 boys · 67 girls
- Most popular year
- 1949
- 498 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 498 in 1949. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 6,691 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Lanny’s family of names
In English usage, Lanny is a diminutive of Roland. Lanny has a related form in Lana. Lanny is a form of Roland.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 9
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Lanavariant
- Rolandfull form · English
- Laurencefull form · English
- Lannievariant
- Lannivariant
- Lanneyvariant
- Llannylikely variant
- Lanneavariant
Show 1 moreShow fewer
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Lanny
- Lanny McDonaldCanadian ice hockey playerborn 1953
- Lanny BasshamAmerican sports shooterborn 1947
- Lanny FlahertyAmerican actor (1942–2024)
- Lanny PoffoCanadian-American professional wrestler and author1954–2023
- Lanny BarnesAmerican biathleteborn 1982
- Lanny Wadkinsprofessional golferborn 1949
- Lanny JoonAmerican actorborn 1950
- Lanny DavisAmerican lawyer, author, and lobbyistborn 1945
- Lanny RossAmerican musician1906–1988
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Lanny, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ted
“a gift from God” · “having heart”
>99% boys
Bard
“a minstrel; a poet”
>99% boys
Horton
“from the gray town”
>99% boys
Lando
“a manly man”
>99% boys
Fedrick
Fedrick is a form of Cedric. One Welsh interpretation is “one who is kind and loved; of the spectacular bounty.”
>99% boys
Lenny
“having the strength of a lion” · “one who plays the flute”
76% boys · 24% girls
Šekspīrs
Šekspīrs is a surname from English. It is used in Latvian.
—
Rolly
“from the renowned land”
>99% boys