Lane
As an English surname, from lane; as an Irish surname, from several origins, including Laighin.
Every Lane since 1881 — 52,177 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lane
Lane is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #250 in 2025 with 1,383 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 52,177 American babies have been named Lane — about 91% boys and 9% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2019, when 1,505 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lane stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lane year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 112 | #1,805 | 1,383 | #250 |
| 2024 | 87 | #2,189 | 1,332 | #261 |
| 2023 | 100 | #1,976 | 1,374 | #255 |
| 2022 | 120 | #1,738 | 1,339 | #261 |
| 2021 | 111 | #1,822 | 1,322 | #261 |
| 2020 | 104 | #1,867 | 1,372 | #256 |
| 2019 | 98 | #1,982 | 1,407 | #258 |
| 2018 | 85 | #2,201 | 1,212 | #291 |
| 2017 | 78 | #2,348 | 1,178 | #299 |
| 2016 | 86 | #2,239 | 1,232 | #294 |
| 2015 | 98 | #2,022 | 1,209 | #297 |
| 2014 | 63 | #2,764 | 1,200 | #296 |
| 2013 | 69 | #2,585 | 1,152 | #304 |
| 2012 | 76 | #2,441 | 1,223 | #290 |
| 2011 | 74 | #2,473 | 1,294 | #270 |
| 2010 | 71 | #2,576 | 1,062 | #303 |
| 2009 | 76 | #2,499 | 1,053 | #306 |
| 2008 | 66 | #2,764 | 1,053 | #317 |
| 2007 | 70 | #2,633 | 1,016 | #316 |
| 2006 | 82 | #2,318 | 986 | #327 |
| 2005 | 68 | #2,543 | 1,039 | #317 |
| 2004 | 80 | #2,220 | 1,068 | #299 |
| 2003 | 89 | #2,025 | 1,129 | #274 |
| 2002 | 98 | #1,835 | 981 | #299 |
| 2001 | 69 | #2,315 | 894 | #310 |
| 2000 | 78 | #2,094 | 1,015 | #296 |
| 1995 | 66 | #2,071 | 1,168 | #246 |
| 1990 | 68 | #2,002 | 328 | #558 |
| 1985 | 51 | #2,090 | 179 | #658 |
| 1980 | 35 | #2,676 | 146 | #727 |
| 1975 | 24 | #3,004 | 147 | #678 |
| 1970 | 30 | #2,478 | 232 | #531 |
| 1965 | 16 | #3,204 | 225 | #507 |
| 1960 | 26 | #2,338 | 277 | #476 |
| 1955 | 31 | #1,928 | 184 | #546 |
| 1950 | 30 | #1,745 | 160 | #539 |
| 1945 | 20 | #1,913 | 80 | #674 |
| 1940 | 14 | #2,247 | 67 | #752 |
| 1935 | 6 | #3,999 | 69 | #740 |
| 1930 | — | — | 53 | #923 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,868 | 33 | #1,271 |
| 1920 | — | — | 24 | #1,573 |
| 1915 | — | — | 23 | #1,437 |
| 1910 | — | — | 7 | #1,372 |
| 1905 | — | — | 6 | #1,171 |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Lane
- Lane Smith Actor · 1936–2005
- Lane Garrison Actor · b. 1980
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lane mean?
As an English surname, from lane; as an Irish surname, from several origins, including Laighin.
How popular is the name Lane in 2025?
Lane ranked #250 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,383 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lane?
52,177 babies have been named Lane in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lane most popular?
Lane peaked in 2019, when 1,505 newborns received the name.
Is Lane a boy or girl name?
Lane is used for both: about 9% of babies named Lane have been girls and 91% boys.
Is the name Lane rising or falling?
Lane is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lane?
Well-known people named Lane include Lane Smith (actor), Lane Garrison (actor).