Lainey
Pet form of Elaine, the Old French form of Helen, a Greek name often linked to “torch.”
Popularity, 1880–2025
Lainey first shows up in the national records in 1968. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 2023 to 2025. Its biggest year was 2025, when 5,738 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 30 nationally. In 2025 it ranked No. 30 for girls. All told, 28,431 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Laney (14,360), Lanny (9,644), Lani (7,556), Lanie (5,637), Lannie (3,424), Lanae (2,951) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: Helen, Elaine
Explore Lainey interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 | No. 6246 |
| 1970s | 10 | No. 8423 |
| 1980s | 195 | No. 3165 |
| 1990s | 655 | No. 1647 |
| 2000s | 3,180 | No. 669 |
| 2010s | 5,769 | No. 381 |
| 2020s | 18,606 | No. 30 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.