Given name & surname
Looney
“descendant of Luanach”
Looney is a surname from Irish (ultimately Middle Irish).
Meaning & origin
What it means
Looney goes back to Irish Ó Luanaigh, meaning “descendant of Luanach.”
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Where it comes from
Looney comes from Irish, and ultimately from Middle Irish.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
From Irish Ó Luanaigh (“descendant of Luanach”), from Middle Irish lúan (“light, warrior's halo, warrior”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1918. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Looney through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6
- 6 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 6 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 6 in 1918. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 12,170 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.
Looney’s family of names
In English usage, Looney as a surname has a related form in LUNNEY. In English usage, Looney as a surname has a related form in LUNNEY.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Looney, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Larney
Larney is a surname from Irish.
>99% boys
Downey
“descendant of Dúnadhach”
>99% boys
Parley
“one who negotiates” · “a reluctant man”
93% boys · 7% girls
Tunney
“descendant of Tonnach”
>99% boys
Lowery
Lowery is a surname from Irish.
>99% boys
Mcadoo
“son of the black hound”
>99% boys
Hoy
“descendant of Eochaid”
>99% boys
Gleason
“descendant of Glasán”
>99% boys