Total births
2,310
Boys' name · since 1880
Burley
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 2,310 babies named Burley, peaking in 1921. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 2,310
- total births
- 1880–2020
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 19%
- born in that decade
Burley sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 2,310 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Burley has been recorded 2,310 times among boys since 1880, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2020.
- 2,310 total births
- 1880–2020 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 19% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
2,310 boys have been named Burley since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2020.
- 2,310
- total births
- 1880–2020
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 19%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Burley was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
58 babies were named Burley in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
Burley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Burley's SSA record in two at 1938 and the more recent half accounts for 42% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 58%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1897, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 58, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Burley at a glance
Last recorded 2020Peak year
1921
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Burley popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2020
- Peak year (1921)
- 58
- Annual births at peak, across 141 years of records
Burley popularity over time - girls
40 total births recorded since 1900 (Burley as girls' name)
Burley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Burley's strongest decade.
448 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Burley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 82
1880s
82 births
- 1890s 68
1890s
68 births
- 1900s 90
1900s
90 births
- 1910s
1910s
348 births
- 1920s
1920s
448 births
- 1930s
1930s
377 births
- 1940s
1940s
320 births
- 1950s
1950s
234 births
- 1960s 167
1960s
167 births
- 1970s 97
1970s
97 births
- 1980s 41
1980s
41 births
- 1990s 15
1990s
15 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2010s 11
2010s
11 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 448 births (19% of all-time use).
How Burley 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 Burley's total volume
Burley vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Burley by state
Where Burley concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 110 | 4.8% |
| #2 | Virginia | | 80 | 3.5% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 71 | 3.1% |
| #4 | West Virginia | | 41 | 1.8% |
| #5 | Arkansas | | 39 | 1.7% |
| #6 | Louisiana | | 23 | 1.0% |
| #7 | Alabama | | 11 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Tennessee | | 11 | 0.5% |
Kentucky share of Burley's total US births 4.8%
Even split
110 of 2,310 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Burley appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Burley? ▼
Burley has been given to 2,310 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2020. 58 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Burley most popular? ▼
Burley was most popular in the 1920s decade with 448 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Burley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Burley are Kentucky (110 births), Virginia (80 births), North Carolina (71 births).
How long has the name Burley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Burley since 1880 -- 141 years through the most recent 2020 data.
What names are similar to Burley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Burton, Burl, Burt, Burke, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Burley's data
- Burley's decade-level peak was the 1920s (448 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Burleys (110 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky 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 Burley
Nearby Names Like Burley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Burley
Burton Boy
#5067 22,486 births
Burl Boy
#9898 7,181 births
Burt Boy
6,555 births
Burke Boy
#3222 4,118 births
Burnell Boy
2,790 births
Compare Burley side by side: Burley vs Burton Burley vs Burl Burley vs Burt
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1880–2020 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Burley: Baby Name Since 1880 - 2,310 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/burley. 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 Burley 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.