Given name & surname · also Irish
Delaney
“the dark challenger”·“from the elder-tree grove”·“trom the elder-tree grove”
Delaney is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “the dark challenger”, “from the elder-tree grove”, and “trom the elder-tree grove”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “the dark challenger”, “from the elder-tree grove”, and “trom the elder-tree grove”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Irish and French naming traditions.
How it developed
From Old French del, from Irish Ó Dubhshláine.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Delaney through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 46,650
- 1,213 boys · 45,437 girls
- Most popular year
- 2004
- 2,030 babies
- 2025
- 1,295
- #242 for girls · #6,900 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +7%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 1% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,283 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 242 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 7.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,002 in 2004. It also appeared in 12 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Pennsylvania had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (88). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 37,383 as a first name in 2020; 31,364 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Delaney’s family of names
Delaney has a related form in Delano. Delaney has a related form in Delanie. Delaney has a related form in Delaine.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 36
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Delaineyvariant
- Delanivariant
- Delanievariant
- Delanyvariant
- Delanovariant
- Delaynievariant
- Delaneevariant
- Delainavariant
Show 28 moreShow fewer
- Delaynavariant
- Dulaneyvariant · English
- Delainevariant
- Delainyvariant
- Dellaneylikely variant
- Delaynevariant
- Delanevariant
- Delaynivariant
- Delayneevariant
- Delayneyvariant
- Delaenievariant
- Delaineevariant
- Delainievariant
- Delainivariant
- Delaneavariant
- Delanneylikely variant
- Delainovariant
- Delaenovariant
- Delaynovariant
- Delaenevariant
- Delayneavariant
- Delaynyvariant
- Delaenivariant
- Delaeneavariant
- Delaeneevariant
- Delaenyvariant
- Delaeneyvariant
- Delaineavariant
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Delaney
- Delaney SchnellAmerican diverborn 1998
- Delaney BramlettAmerican musician (1939–2008)
- Delaney WilliamsAmerican actorborn 1962
- Delaney RuddAmerican basketball player (born 1962)
- Delaney SpauldingAmerican softball playerborn 1995
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Delaney, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Estrella
“star of the sea” · “resembling a star”
>99% girls
Luz
“refers to the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Light” · “of the moon”
1% boys · 99% girls
Lupita
“from the valley of wolves” · “from the river of the wolf”
>99% girls
Skye
“woman from the Isle of Skye” · “man from the Isle of Skye”
8% boys · 92% girls
Manon
“star of the sea” · “from the sea of bitterness”
>99% girls
Xiomara
“famous in battle” · “from the glorious forest”
>99% girls
Blanchefleur
“resembling a white flower”
>99% girls
Flordeliz
“flower of lily”
2% boys · 98% girls