Lenny is a pet form of Leonard, a Germanic name made up of lewo, lion, and hard, brave or hardy, so it means "brave lion". It has a friendly, slightly retro feel and is familiar from rock musician Lenny Kravitz and the gentle giant Lennie in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. In the United States Lenny ranked number 1775 in 2000, peaked at number 1144 in 2015 and stands at number 1419 in 2025.