Unisex name · English
Lane
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: a narrow pathLane is a gender-neutral name that comes from English and means "a narrow path". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- A narrow path
- Origin
- English
- Gender
- Unisex
- US rank
- #1805 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Lane
As a gender-neutral name, Lane comes from English and means "a narrow path". It is used in English.
As a boy's name, Lane comes from English and means "narrow road". It is used in English.
Lane is also a surname: the 223rd most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 129,618 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Lane on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Lane on 5 lists.
“A narrow country road, simple and straight”
From Redneck names for boys, cowboy names for boys
“Narrow road; English. Smooth and modern”
From Boy middle names, one-syllable boy middle names
“Old English for narrow road; a cattle-path name”
From Cowboy names, western boy names
“A narrow path; English, from a surname for a roadside dweller”
From Gender neutral names, short gender-neutral names
“For a family living along a narrow country road”
From Pretty last names, short aesthetic last names
How popular is Lane?
In 2025, 112 girls and 1,383 boys in the US were named Lane.
As a girl’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #1,805
- 112 babies, 70 per million girls
- Best rank
- #1,305 in 1982
- Most babies: 120 in 2022
- Babies since 1916
- At least 4,615
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 1 per million |
| 1920s | 2 per million |
| 1930s | 5 per million |
| 1940s | 15 per million |
| 1950s | 18 per million |
| 1960s | 14 per million |
| 1970s | 13 per million |
| 1980s | 36 per million |
| 1990s | 39 per million |
| 2000s | 42 per million |
| 2010s | 46 per million |
| 2020s | 65 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,239 | #2,348 | #2,201 | #1,982 | #1,867 | #1,822 | #1,738 | #1,976 | #2,189 | #1,805 |
As a boy’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #250
- 1,383 babies, 810 per million boys
- Best rank
- #246 in 1995
- Most babies: 1,407 in 2019
- Babies since 1881
- At least 47,562
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 10 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 14 per million |
| 1900s | 18 per million |
| 1910s | 27 per million |
| 1920s | 35 per million |
| 1930s | 53 per million |
| 1940s | 63 per million |
| 1950s | 99 per million |
| 1960s | 125 per million |
| 1970s | 96 per million |
| 1980s | 103 per million |
| 1990s | 361 per million |
| 2000s | 513 per million |
| 2010s | 647 per million |
| 2020s | 784 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #294 | #299 | #291 | #258 | #256 | #261 | #261 | #255 | #261 | #250 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Lane
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
Middle names for Lane
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
More names from English
- LilianaLatinate form of Lillian, probably from Elizabeth or Lily (English, girl)
- LilyLily flower (English, girl)
- SamanthaPerhaps a feminine form of Samuel with the suffix antha (English, girl)
- AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
- ArmstrongStrong in the arm (English, boy)
- CataleyaFrom cattleya, an orchid named for William Cattley (English, girl)
- EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
- HeatherHeather plant (English, girl)
- JacksonFrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)
- LillyVariant of Lily, the flower (English, girl)
Lane: common questions
What does the name Lane mean?
Lane comes from English and means "a narrow path". It also has another origin: "narrow road" from English.
Is Lane a boy or girl name?
Lane is used for both boys and girls. In 2025, 112 girls and 1,383 boys in the US were named Lane, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Lane come from?
Lane comes from English and means "a narrow path". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Lane?
Lane ranked #1,805 in the US in 2025, with 112 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Lane?
Names spelled like Lane include Lale, Lan, Lance, Lani and Luna.
What middle names go with Lane?
Middle names that flow well with Lane include David, Fletcher, Gabrielle, Holly and Paige. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.