Delaney
Girl name · #242 in 2025 · Uniqueness 42/100
Delaney ranks #242 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 1,283 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #243, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,403 girls born in 2025 was named Delaney.
The 86-year story
Delaney first appears in the Social Security records in 1939, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2004, when 2,002 girls were named Delaney — good for #169 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Delaney per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Delaney against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Delaney in class?
Delaney scores 42 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Delaney is most common
Geography matters for names, and Delaney is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Delaneys were PA (88), CA (86), TX (85), NY (78), OH (66). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Delaney
Statistically, parents drawn to Delaney tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sydney, Laney, Bailey, Daniela, and Dakota.
SydneyLaneyBaileyDanielaDakotaHaileyMarianaJourney
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Delaney | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,283 | #242 |
| 2024 | 1,435 | #216 |
| 2023 | 1,287 | #235 |
| 2022 | 1,255 | #244 |
| 2021 | 1,164 | #269 |
| 2020 | 1,024 | #313 |
| 2019 | 1,158 | #286 |
| 2018 | 1,315 | #249 |
| 2017 | 1,266 | #251 |
| 2016 | 1,207 | #263 |
| 2015 | 1,328 | #243 |
| 2014 | 1,232 | #268 |
| 2013 | 1,280 | #249 |
| 2012 | 1,260 | #257 |
| 2011 | 1,337 | #237 |
| 2010 | 1,486 | #209 |
| 2009 | 1,388 | #241 |
| 2008 | 1,622 | #210 |
| 2007 | 1,689 | #203 |
| 2006 | 1,815 | #193 |
| 2005 | 1,828 | #190 |
| 2004 | 2,002 | #169 |
| 2003 | 1,856 | #175 |
| 2002 | 1,765 | #181 |
| 2001 | 1,583 | #204 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Delaney a popular girl name?
Delaney ranked #242 among girls in 2025 with 1,283 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #243.
When was the name Delaney most popular?
Delaney peaked in 2004, when 2,002 American girls received the name (ranked #169 that year). Since 2004 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Delaney?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,403 newborn American girls was named Delaney. It scores 42/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.