Delaney
Girl name · #242 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Delaney? In official American birth records, Delaney has been tracked continuously since 1939, giving it 86 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Delaney against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Delaney in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Delaney is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". 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. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Delaney is most common in ME (3.5 per 1,000), SD (3.3 per 1,000), PA (1.9 per 1,000), WI (1.8 per 1,000), MD (1.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Delaney is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
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
How old is the name Delaney?
In official American birth records, the name Delaney first appeared in 1939 (over 86 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 86 years.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.