Laney
Laney was the 674th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 421 babies. Its best year was 2005, when it ranked 482nd; the most babies were born in 2006 (640). Over the last ten years it has moved down 31 places. More babies were named Laney in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning Origin not documented
Say it LAY-nee /ˈleɪni/
- Rank in 2025
- #674 girls, down 24 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 421girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2006640 babies
- Total since 1880
- 14,360babies recorded
What does the name Laney mean?
Laney is used as a girls' name and occasionally for boys, and Wiktionary records it also as a surname, but no etymology is given. As a girls' name it may be a pet form of Elaine or a short form of names such as Delaney, but no source confirms this, and the surname may have its own origin. Elaine is an Old French form of Helen, whose root DMNES calls uncertain. Because Laney can come from several names, we do not give it a single meaning. It has been used in the US since the 1880s.
How sure is this? Not documented. No documented etymology for Laney itself; links with Elaine or Delaney are usual but unconfirmed in our sources.
Related names: Lainey, Elaine, Delaney, Lane.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Laney' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Elaine' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Laney popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 336 since 1916.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #674 | 421 |
| 2020 | #650 | 444 |
| 2010 | #545 | 540 |
| 2000 | #704 | 332 |
| 1990 | #1,680 | 88 |
| 1980 | #3,166 | 27 |
| 1970 | #5,611 | 9 |
| 1960 | #6,042 | 6 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | #3,092 | 9 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | #3,796 | 8 |
| 1910 | #2,287 | 6 |
| 1900 | #2,077 | 5 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Laney, counting every spelling?
Laney is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #563 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #674 for Laney on its own. Together these spellings went to 531 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laney | 421 | #674 | 2,156 |
| Lanie | 83 | #2,227 | 473 |
| Lany | 19 | #6,236 | 67 |
| Lanea | 8 | #11,481 | 29 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Laney?
421 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Laney (0.12 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Laney born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 20 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Laney.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Laney?
About 13,700 people born in the US named Laney are alive today, with a median age of 16; half are between 9 and 22. That makes Laney mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Laney by state
How common Laney was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Kentucky (3.3×), Alabama (2.8×), Nebraska (2.7×), Iowa (2.7×), Oklahoma (2.5×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Laney: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Laney, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Laney · Sibling names for Laney
Laney is also a nickname for Delaney.
Questions about the name Laney
How popular is the name Laney?
Laney was the 674th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 421 babies. Its best year was 2005, when it ranked 482nd; the most babies were born in 2006 (640). Over the last ten years it has moved down 31 places. More babies were named Laney in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Laney a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Laney in the US.
Where is Laney most popular?
In 2021–2025, Laney was most common in Kentucky (0.89 per 1,000 girls), followed by Alabama and Nebraska.