NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Liane

A French feminine name meaning "vine branch".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Liane is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Liane popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5581, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 13 births.

This profile covers 65 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1996 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 23% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 139 living people in the UK are called Liane. 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 2022 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Liane ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1997, when 13 girls were registered as Liane.
  • Liane ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #577 in 1988.
  • About 139 living people in the UK are estimated to have Liane as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5581

2021

Births in 2021

3

Latest year

Peak year

1997

13 births

Estimated living

139

2026

Meaning

What does Liane mean?

The given name Liane originates from the French language and is a feminine form of the male name Lien. Its roots can be traced back to the Latin word "liana," which means "vine" or "climbing plant." The name gained popularity in France during the Middle Ages and was often associated with nature and growth.

During the Renaissance period, the name Liane was embraced by various European cultures, particularly in literature and poetry. Several notable authors and poets from that era referenced the name in their works, celebrating its symbolism and grace. One such example is the French poet Pierre de Ronsard, who wrote about a character named Liane in his 16th-century poem "Les Amours."

The earliest recorded instance of the name Liane can be found in the 13th-century French manuscript "Le Roman de la Rose," where it was used to describe a character's beauty and charm. This literary work played a significant role in popularizing the name throughout Europe.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Liane. One of the earliest was Liane de Pougy (1869-1950), a French courtesan and artist's model who was celebrated for her beauty and influence in Parisian high society during the Belle Époque period.

Another famous Liane was Liane Haid (1895-1924), an Austrian actress and film star who gained prominence in the early days of German cinema. Her performances in silent films such as "Der müde Tod" (1921) and "Die Bergkatze" (1921) earned her critical acclaim.

In the literary world, Liane de Pougy (1869-1950), a French novelist and memoirist, made significant contributions with her works detailing the lives of courtesans in Paris during the late 19th century.

The name Liane also gained recognition in the field of science with Liane Russell (1923-2019), an American geneticist renowned for her groundbreaking research on the effects of radiation on embryonic development.

More recently, Liane Moriarty (born in 1966) is an Australian author known for her bestselling novels, including "Big Little Lies" and "The Husband's Secret," which have been adapted into popular television series.

Despite its historical roots and literary references, the name Liane has maintained a timeless elegance and continues to be a popular choice for parents seeking a unique and nature-inspired name for their daughters.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Liane over time

The chart below shows babies named Liane registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Liane, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 13 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Liane
0371013199620082021

Decades

Liane by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Liane 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 #5581 3 1
2010s #5072 15 4
2000s #3758 18 4
1990s #1980 29 3

Geography

Where Liane is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Liane. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Liane ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #577 in 1988.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Liane in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#577 in 1988

13 years of NRS records, 76 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Liane

  • Liane Carroll

    composer; singer; pianist; jazz musician

    British musician

    1964-

  • Liane Aukin

    writer; actor; psychotherapist

    British actress (1936-2016)

    1936-2016

  • Liane Collot d’Herbois

    writer; teacher; painter

    British painter and painting therapist (1907-1999)

    1907-1999

  • Liane Saunders

    diplomat

    British diplomat

Related

Names similar to Liane

FAQ

Liane: questions and answers

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

In 2021, Liane was ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Liane most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 13 babies registered as Liane in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Liane?

A French feminine name meaning "vine branch".

How many people are called Liane in the UK?

A total of 65 babies have been registered as Liane across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 76 more in Scotland.

Where is Liane most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Liane ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #577 in 1988. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.