Baby Name of the Day: Landry

The baby name Landry comes from medieval France, but fits perfectly in 21st century America.

Thanks to Leah and Meredith for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME LANDRY MEAN?

The Germanic name Landrich comes from the elements lant – meaning land – and ric – ruler. So Landry means “ruler of the land.”

Various forms of the given name were reasonably common in medieval Europe. Landericus was the Latin form of the name, often used in official records.

SAINT LANDRY

During the 7th century, the future Saint Landry of Metz served as a Benedictine abbot and Bishop of Metz, in eastern France. 

Around the same time, another future Saint Landry was Bishop of Paris. He established the city’s first hospital, now known as the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris. It’s the oldest hospital in France and possibly the oldest continuously operating hospital in the world. 

During the Middle Ages, it appears to have been a familiar choice. 

LANDRY IN LOUISIANA

La Louisiane was named for King Louis XIV of France back in 1682. The territory became part of Spain in 1763, and was purchased by the US in 1803. 

St. Landry Parish wasn’t formally created until 1807, but French influence has always been strong. It’s part of Acadiana, the area populated by the descendants of French Canadians expelled from Nova Scotia and the surrounding areas in the eighteenth century.

Cajun communities embrace traditional names with French roots, marked by generations of use in the United States. 

Settlers built the first Catholic church in the region way back in 1774, and dedicated it to St. Landry of Paris.

This makes Landry feel both Southern and French – a potential Louisiana heritage choice, as a first name or middle name option.

One more note: Landry’s Restaurant Group owns dozens of familiar brands, including a dozen seafood restaurants operating as Landry’s in Louisiana and Texas. 

SURNAME NAME

Like many place names, Landry also entered into use as a surname. In most cases, it probably traces its roots to the Germanic element and the “powerful landowner” meaning. 

But it might also come from other places on the map, like French La Glanderie in Belgium, or even the Middle English lavanderie, a term for a wash-house worker.

Plenty of famous figures have answered to the last name. 

Legendary football coach Tom Landry might be the best known. The Texas native coached the Dallas Cowboys in 1960 and stayed for a staggering 29 seasons. His innovative approach helped lead the team to dominance in the 1970s, including two Super Bowl wins in 1971 and 1978. After his death in 2000, a stretch of Texas highway, a local elementary school, and the high school football stadium in his hometown were all named in his honor.

A character in television series Friday Night Lights was named Landry Clarke. Jesse Plemmons played the part. For a football-centric story, there’s no better choice. 

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME LANDRY?

Thanks to the legendary coach, Landry feels a little bit like Baker or Brady: an interesting sports-related possibility for boys.

Television series Friday Night Lights debuted in 2006. It was based on a nonfiction book and fact-based movie about football in a Texas town. The television series took a more fictional approach, introducing characters not previously heard in Friday Night Lights. One of them was high school freshman Landry Clarke.

As a surname name, Landry was always used in small numbers.

Popularity first increased during the 1970s, possibly due to the football coach. As the Cowboys won three Super Bowls in 1992, 1993, and 1995, the name continued to climb.

Then came Friday Night Lights. The original series ran from 2006 through 2011, with the baby name Landry peaking for boys and girls shortly after the show left the air. 

Other notables – a Disney Channel actress, a handful of athletes – kept the name in the spotlight.

But it lost traction, and the name tumbled out of the Top 1000 for boys and girls alike in 2022.

As of 2025, though, Landry is back, returning to the US Top 1000 at  #996 for boys and #935 for girls.

21st CENTURY FAVORITE

There’s a distinctive charm to the baby name Landry. It’s effortlessly unisex. It feels fresh but established, in that way that surname names so often do. While variations like Landree (or -drey or -dri) and Landric might be seen, at this moment, Landry is the dominant choice, as both a feminine name and masculine name.

Modern parents are drawn to choices like Rowan and Parker, names that work across gender lines with a mix of roots and novelty. There’s a versatility to such choices, a sense that they’re sweet for a child, capable and sophisticated on an adult. 

Landry might just succeed former favorites like Landon for boys or Hadley for girls. It’s a strong choice for parents seeking something uncommon that feels right at home in the 21st century.

What do you think of the baby name Landry?

First published on February 17, 2015, this post was revised on May 19, 2026.