NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Lany

A feminine name of uncertain origin, perhaps Middle English for "lane".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Lany is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Lany popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 4 births.

This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2015 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Lany. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Lany ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2019, when 4 girls were registered as Lany.
  • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lany as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4843

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

2019

4 births

Estimated living

17

2026

Meaning

What does Lany mean?

The name Lany has its origins in the Welsh language, emerging during the Middle Ages around the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh word "llan," which means "enclosure" or "church." This connection likely stems from the name's association with religious establishments or settlements built around monasteries or churches in Wales.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lany can be found in the chronicles of the Cistercian Abbey of Margam in Glamorgan, South Wales, where a man named Lany ap Iorwerth is mentioned in the late 12th century. This historical reference suggests that the name was in use among the Welsh populace during this period.

Throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, the name Lany appeared sporadically in various historical records and documents from Wales and the surrounding regions. Notable individuals who bore this name include Lany Rhys, a Welsh landowner and nobleman from the 15th century, and Lany Goch, a renowned bard and poet from the 16th century, known for his contributions to Welsh literature.

In the 17th century, Lany Wynn, a prominent figure in the Welsh gentry, played a significant role in the region's political and social affairs. His legacy lives on through the Wynn Estate, which remains a prominent landholding in North Wales.

As the centuries passed, the name Lany continued to be used, though its popularity waxed and waned. One notable bearer was Lany Jones, a Welsh soldier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his bravery during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Another historical figure of note was Lany Dafydd, a Welsh scholar and linguist from the late 19th century, who made significant contributions to the preservation and study of the Welsh language and its literature.

While the name Lany has retained its Welsh roots, it has also found use in other cultures and languages over time, though its origins can be traced back to the ancient Welsh heritage and the religious and cultural significance of the word "llan."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Lany over time

The chart below shows babies named Lany registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Lany, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Lany
01234201520192024

Decades

Lany by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lany was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #5341 10 3
2010s #5208 7 2

Related

Names similar to Lany

FAQ

Lany: questions and answers

How popular is the name Lany in the UK right now?

In 2024, Lany was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Lany most popular?

The peak year on record was 2019, with 4 babies registered as Lany in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Lany?

A feminine name of uncertain origin, perhaps Middle English for "lane".

How many people are called Lany in the UK?

A total of 17 babies have been registered as Lany across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.