Total births
14,355
Unisex name · since 1918
Layne
14,355 babies named Layne in U.S. Social Security records since 1918, with the highest year being 2021. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #696
- among boys today
- 14,355
- born since 1918
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Layne is the #696 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 14,355 recorded since 1918.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Layne has been recorded 14,355 times among boys since 1918, currently ranked #696 nationally and more common than 95% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1918 to 2025.
- #696 among boys today
- 14,355 born since 1918
- 2010s peak decade
- 95% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Layne is currently the #696 unisex name in America, more common than 95% of boys - 14,355 born since 1918, peaking in the 2010s.
- #696
- among boys today
- 14,355
- born since 1918
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 95%
- more common than other boys
Layne vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#696
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 95% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Layne was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
434 babies were named Layne in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Layne compares
14,355 Top 7% higher than 93% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Layne's all-time total is 39x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Layne | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 14,355 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 434 | 23 | 22,252 |
Layne's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Layne's full recorded timeline at 1974, 82% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 18% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1923, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2021 peak of 434 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Layne at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2021
Current rank
#696
Active since
1918
Layne popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1918–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 434
- Annual births at peak, across 108 years of records
Layne popularity over time - girls
5,679 total births recorded since 1939 (Layne as girls' name)
Layne by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Layne's strongest decade.
3,869 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Layne births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 7
1910s
7 births
- 1920s 35
1920s
35 births
- 1930s 94
1930s
94 births
- 1940s 233
1940s
233 births
- 1950s 882
1950s
882 births
- 1960s 1,025
1960s
1,025 births
- 1970s 548
1970s
548 births
- 1980s 532
1980s
532 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,554 births
- 2000s
2000s
3,109 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,869 births
- 2020s
2020s
2,467 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 3,869 births (27% of all-time use).
How Layne compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Layne's total volume
Layne vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Layne by state
Where Layne concentrates geographically, total births since 1918
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,234 | 8.6% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 765 | 5.3% |
| #3 | California | | 625 | 4.4% |
| #4 | Utah | | 515 | 3.6% |
| #5 | Indiana | | 476 | 3.3% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 455 | 3.2% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 442 | 3.1% |
| #8 | Florida | | 387 | 2.7% |
Texas share of Layne's total US births 8.6%
Even split
1,234 of 14,355 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 45 reporting states.
Layne appears in 45 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Layne? ▼
Since 1918, Social Security records show 14,355 babies named Layne. Today it holds rank #696 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2021, with 434 births.
When was Layne most popular? ▼
Layne was most popular in the 2010s decade with 3,869 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Layne most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Layne are Texas (1,234 births), Ohio (765 births), California (625 births).
Is Layne a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Layne is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 14,355 births, and as a girl's name it has 5,679 births.
How long has the name Layne been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Layne since 1918 -- 108 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Layne? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Layton, Layden, Layth, Laymon, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Layne's data
- Layne's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (3,869 total births) through the 2020s (2,467) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Laynes (1,234 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Layne
Nearby Names Like Layne
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Layne
Layton Boy
#693 12,156 births
Layden Boy
#3320 1,131 births
Layth Boy
#2335 901 births
Laymon Boy
779 births
Layten Boy
#6708 392 births
Compare Layne side by side: Layne vs Layton Layne vs Layden Layne vs Layth
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Layne
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1918–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Layne: #696 Unisex Name - 14,355 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/layne. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Layne draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.