Girl nameCurrently #216 in the USSteady
Delaney
duh-LAY-nee//dəˈleɪni//
3 syllablesPeak year: 20047 lettersStarts with D
Meaning & origin
Descendant of the challenger
Delaney comes from the Irish surname Ó Dubhshláine, loosely translated as 'descendant of the challenger' or referencing a dark river. Its soft, flowing sound made it a popular girls' choice in North America from the 1990s onward.
Delaney's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Delaney |
|---|---|
| 1912 | 7 |
| 1916 | 5 |
| 1919 | 9 |
| 1923 | 8 |
| 1927 | 7 |
| 1930 | 12 |
| 1932 | 6 |
| 1933 | 6 |
| 1934 | 6 |
| 1936 | 11 |
| 1938 | 6 |
| 1939 | 10 |
| 1940 | 5 |
| 1942 | 10 |
| 1943 | 5 |
| 1946 | 6 |
| 1947 | 5 |
| 1948 | 10 |
| 1949 | 7 |
| 1950 | 5 |
| 1951 | 6 |
| 1952 | 17 |
| 1953 | 8 |
| 1954 | 7 |
| 1955 | 18 |
| 1956 | 11 |
| 1957 | 9 |
| 1958 | 8 |
| 1959 | 6 |
| 1960 | 9 |
| 1961 | 14 |
| 1962 | 14 |
| 1963 | 8 |
| 1964 | 10 |
| 1965 | 11 |
| 1966 | 16 |
| 1967 | 14 |
| 1968 | 7 |
| 1969 | 13 |
| 1970 | 14 |
| 1971 | 29 |
| 1972 | 36 |
| 1973 | 36 |
| 1974 | 31 |
| 1975 | 31 |
| 1976 | 29 |
| 1977 | 35 |
| 1978 | 38 |
| 1979 | 46 |
| 1980 | 30 |
| 1981 | 35 |
| 1982 | 33 |
| 1983 | 31 |
| 1984 | 38 |
| 1985 | 41 |
| 1986 | 40 |
| 1987 | 43 |
| 1988 | 54 |
| 1989 | 116 |
| 1990 | 198 |
| 1991 | 241 |
| 1992 | 334 |
| 1993 | 434 |
| 1994 | 513 |
| 1995 | 838 |
| 1996 | 1,105 |
| 1997 | 1,148 |
| 1998 | 1,428 |
| 1999 | 1,491 |
| 2000 | 1,565 |
| 2001 | 1,603 |
| 2002 | 1,782 |
| 2003 | 1,875 |
| 2004 | 2,030 |
| 2005 | 1,842 |
| 2006 | 1,832 |
| 2007 | 1,704 |
| 2008 | 1,638 |
| 2009 | 1,407 |
| 2010 | 1,504 |
| 2011 | 1,354 |
| 2012 | 1,276 |
| 2013 | 1,290 |
| 2014 | 1,240 |
| 2015 | 1,333 |
| 2016 | 1,216 |
| 2017 | 1,277 |
| 2018 | 1,330 |
| 2019 | 1,167 |
| 2020 | 1,041 |
| 2021 | 1,177 |
| 2022 | 1,258 |
| 2023 | 1,305 |
| 2024 | 1,440 |
Delaney through the decades
- Delaney peaked in 2004, when 2,030 babies were named Delaney in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Delaney has fallen 17% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Delaney currently ranks #216 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Laney
Variants & spellings
Delayney