The present disclosure provides a method for forming a pre-lithiated layered anode material. The method includes removing cations from a precursor material including a layered ionic compound to form creates a two-dimensional structure that defines a layered anode material. The method further includes inserting lithium ions using an anion insertion wet-chemical process into the layered anode materials to form the pre-lithiated layered anode material. The anion insertion wet-chemical process can be the same as or different form the cation extraction wet-chemical process. In each instance, the precursor material is be represented by MX2, where M is one of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and X is one of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), and boron (B) and the precursor material has alternating layers of M and X.