Given name
Leann
“the shining light”
Leann is a variant of Leanna. In Gaelic use, Leanna carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Leann is a variant of Leanna. In Gaelic use, Leanna carries the interpretation “the shining light.”
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1925. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Leann through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 24,363
- 7 boys · 24,356 girls
- Most popular year
- 1963
- 636 babies
- 2025
- 34
- #4,232 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −35%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 34 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,232 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 35.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 22,094 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.
Leann’s family of names
In English usage, Leann has a related form in Leanne. Leann has a related form in Leanna.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Leann
- LeAnn RimesAmerican singer and actress (born 1982)
- Leann HunleyAmerican television actress (born 1955)
- Leigh MichaelsAmerican writerborn 1954
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Leann, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Liesl
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