Layne
Gender-neutral name · English · French
Meaninglane, path · English
- US rank
- #662
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #561 in 1959
414 babies were named Layne in the US in 2025. It has climbed 1 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1939–2025
US births per million boys, 1918–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Layne you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Layne
Layne Staley
American rock musician (1967–2002)
Choose Layne and your child shares a first name with Layne Staley, an American rock musician. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Layne, like who?” Layne Staley's Wikipedia article is available in 46 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Layne Staley on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Rex Aran Emrick, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 4,125 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Layne, 414 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Layne would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryLayne first shows up in US birth records in 1918, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 107 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1959, when it reached #561.
- Then vs nowLayne is 2.2× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 9,217 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 4,125.
- Where it's lovedLayne is most popular in Wyoming, where it ranks #89, followed by West Virginia (#151) and New Hampshire (#230). It's in the top 1,000 in 31 states.
- Boy or girlLayne is given to both boys and girls: 73% of the 570 babies named Layne in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn English, Layne means “lane, path”. Our records link it to English and French roots.
About the name Layne
Layne is a gender-neutral name of English and French origin meaning “lane, path”. It has 5 letters and 1 syllable, starting with L and ending in “-yne”. US birth records list Layne for boys from 1918 to 2025, in 103 of those 108 years. Its best year was 1959, when it ranked #561 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #662, with 414 babies. Of the 570 US babies named Layne in 2025, 27% were girls and 73% were boys.
Origin:English namesFrench names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 5.5 | 181,818 girls |
| 1940s | 6.3 | 157,729 girls |
| 1950s | 14 | 71,994 girls |
| 1960s | 9.7 | 103,306 girls |
| 1970s | 12 | 85,251 girls |
| 1980s | 29 | 34,247 girls |
| 1990s | 49 | 20,350 girls |
| 2000s | 56 | 17,762 girls |
| 2010s | 59 | 16,978 girls |
| 2020s | 155 | 6,465 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 3.5 | 289,855 boys |
| 1920s | 3.1 | 318,471 boys |
| 1930s | 8.9 | 112,360 boys |
| 1940s | 16 | 64,267 boys |
| 1950s | 43 | 23,170 boys |
| 1960s | 53 | 18,954 boys |
| 1970s | 33 | 30,285 boys |
| 1980s | 29 | 34,783 boys |
| 1990s | 81 | 12,385 boys |
| 2000s | 155 | 6,436 boys |
| 2010s | 206 | 4,862 boys |
| 2020s | 238 | 4,201 boys |
Other spellings of Layne
More English names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Layne
What does the name Layne mean?
Layne means “lane, path” in English.
What is the origin of the name Layne?
Layne has English, French roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Oliver.
Is Layne a boy or girl name?
Both. Layne is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 27% of US babies named Layne were girls.
How popular is the name Layne?
Layne ranked #662 for US boys in 2025, given to 414 babies. Its best year was 1959 (#561).