Given name & surname
Laney
“one who takes the narrow path”
Laney is a variant of Lane. One English interpretation is “one who takes the narrow path.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Laney is a variant of Lane. One English interpretation is “one who takes the narrow path.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Laney is a variant of Lane. An origin associated with Lane is English.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1883. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Laney through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 14,360
- 336 boys · 14,024 girls
- Most popular year
- 2006
- 640 babies
- 2025
- 421
- #674 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +5%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 421 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 674 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 4.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 640 in 2006. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (34). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 11,318 as a first name in 2020; 10,200 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.
Laney’s family of names
Laney has a related form in Lane. Laney has a related form in Lani.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Laney, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Marley
“from the meadow near the lake”
13% boys · 87% girls
Laila
“a beauty of the night; born at nightfall”
>99% girls
Delaney
“the dark challenger” · “from the elder-tree grove”
1% boys · 99% girls
Haley
“from the field of hay”
>99% girls
Ainsley
“one's own meadow”
1% boys · 99% girls
Kinley
Kinley is a feminine given name from Scottish Gaelic.
1% boys · 99% girls
Miley
“one who is merciful” · “a soldier”
>99% girls
Anya
“a woman graced with God's favor”
>99% girls