Riley
Riley was the 48th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 4,441 babies. Its best year was 2016, when it ranked 22nd with 7,159 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 13 places. More babies were named Riley in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning Meaning disputed · Old English, Irish
Say it RY-lee /ˈraɪli/
- Rank in 2025
- #48 girls, down 15 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 4,441girls
- Girls and boys
- 75% girls, 25% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20167,159 babies
- Total since 1880
- 246,985babies recorded
What does the name Riley mean?
Riley has two separate surname origins. The English one is a place name (Ryley in Lancashire), from Old English words for 'rye' and 'clearing'. The Irish one is an anglicized form of Ó Raghallaigh (O'Reilly), from the personal name Raghallach, whose meaning is unknown. In the US it was mainly a boys' name until the 1990s and is now chiefly a girls' name.
ryge + lēah (Old English, “rye + wood or clearing”)Raghallach (Irish, “personal name, meaning unknown”)
How sure is this? Disputed. Two origins. Families of Irish descent will usually mean the O'Reilly line.
See also: English names.
Riley popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #48 | #208 | 4,441 | 1,666 |
| 2020 | #33 | #257 | 5,339 | 1,368 |
| 2010 | #40 | #105 | 5,543 | 3,649 |
| 2000 | #131 | #109 | 2,552 | 3,421 |
| 1990 | #826 | #311 | 238 | 814 |
| 1980 | #4,271 | #678 | 18 | 164 |
| 1970 | — | #908 | — | 78 |
| 1960 | — | #747 | — | 107 |
| 1950 | — | #548 | — | 152 |
| 1940 | — | #474 | — | 150 |
| 1930 | #5,120 | #467 | 5 | 162 |
| 1920 | — | #473 | — | 166 |
| 1910 | — | #315 | — | 63 |
| 1900 | — | #286 | — | 53 |
| 1890 | — | #277 | — | 39 |
| 1880 | — | #265 | — | 41 |
How popular is Riley, counting every spelling?
Riley is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #14 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #48 for Riley on its own. Together these spellings went to 8,243 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riley | 4,441 | #48 | 23,880 |
| Rylee | 2,118 | #137 | 11,996 |
| Ryleigh | 891 | #344 | 6,416 |
| Rylie | 644 | #478 | 3,333 |
| Reilly | 60 | #2,855 | 304 |
| Rilee | 20 | #6,070 | 245 |
| Ryley | 39 | #3,823 | 235 |
| Ryli | 11 | #9,354 | 91 |
| Rylea | 13 | #8,255 | 55 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Riley?
4,441 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Riley (1.23 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Riley born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is about 1 in 43. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 2 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Riley.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Riley?
About 140,700 people born in the US named Riley are alive today, with a median age of 14; half are between 8 and 20. That makes Riley mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Riley by state
How common Riley was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Delaware (2.7×), Rhode Island (2.5×), New Hampshire (2.4×), Hawaii (2.1×), Connecticut (2.1×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Wyoming, Utah, Vermont.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Riley: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Riley, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Riley · Sibling names for Riley
Questions about the name Riley
What does Riley mean?
The meaning of Riley is disputed: two origins. Families of Irish descent will usually mean the O'Reilly line.
How popular is the name Riley?
Riley was the 48th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 4,441 babies. Its best year was 2016, when it ranked 22nd with 7,159 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 13 places. More babies were named Riley in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Riley a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 75% girls, 25% boys given the name Riley in the US.
Where is Riley most popular?
In 2021–2025, Riley was most common in Delaware (8.02 per 1,000 girls), followed by Rhode Island and New Hampshire.