The first name Delaney
A girl’s name meaning “from the alder grove”.
Pronounced /dɪˈleɪni/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Delaney means “from the alder grove”.
From a Norman baronial surname, from a place in France, Old French del aunaie (“from the alder grove”). In Ireland an anglicization of Irish Ó Dubhshláine (descendant of Black (dubh) + Challenge (slán)).
More names that mean forest.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 9 girls were named Delaney, making it the 2,788th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 13 births (#2,090).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Delaney with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Delaney at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,283 girls born in the United States were named Delaney, the 242nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2004, when 2,002 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Dulaney
Famous people named Delaney
7 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Delaney SchnellAmerican diver, born 1998
- Delaney WilliamsAmerican actor, born 1962
- Delaney RuddAmerican basketball player (born 1962)
- Delaney SpauldingAmerican softball player, born 1995
- Kevin KlineAmerican actor (born 1947)
- Nancy CartwrightAmerican philosopher, born 1944
- A. P. CarterAmerican country musician, 1891–1960
Questions
- What does the name Delaney mean?
- Delaney means “from the alder grove”.
- How popular is the name Delaney?
- In 2025, 9 girls born in England and Wales were named Delaney, ranking 2,788th. Its peak was 2018, with 13 births.
- Is Delaney a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 97% of the 46,650 US babies named Delaney since 1880 were girls.
- When was Delaney most popular?
- 2004 in the United States, when 2,002 babies were named Delaney, its highest rank at 169th.
- How do you pronounce Delaney?
- Delaney is /dɪˈleɪni/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Delaney?
- Dulaney.
- Is Delaney also a surname?
- Yes. Delaney is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.