Boys' name · since 1909
Donley
Since 1909, U.S. Social Security records show 564 babies named Donley, peaking in 1934. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7,343 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 564
- born since 1909
- 1930s
- peak decade
Donley is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 564 have been recorded since 1909.
Social Security Administration records show Donley recorded 564 times among boys since 1909, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1909 to 1994.
- #7,343 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 564 born since 1909
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Donley ranks #7,343 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 564 born since 1909, peaking in the 1930s.
- #7,343 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 564
- born since 1909
- 1930s
- peak decade
Donley's 564 recorded births place it above 83.83% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by West Virginia.
Donley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Donley's SSA record in two at 1942 and the more recent half accounts for 43% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 57%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1909, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1934 peak of 21, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Donley popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1909–1994
- Peak year (1934)
- 21
- Annual births at peak, across 86 years of records
Donley by decade
1930s is the heaviest window (146 births, 26% of the file).
1930s was Donley's strongest decade.
146 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Donley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 36
1910s
36 births
- 1920s
1920s
107 births
- 1930s
1930s
146 births
- 1940s
1940s
116 births
- 1950s
1950s
90 births
- 1960s 34
1960s
34 births
- 1970s 15
1970s
15 births
- 1980s 10
1980s
10 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 146 births (26% of all-time use).
How Donley 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 Donley's total volume
Donley by state
Where Donley concentrates geographically, total births since 1909
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | West Virginia | | 5 | 0.9% |
5 of 564 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Donley's data
- Donley's decade-level peak was the 1930s (146 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- West Virginia records the most Donleys (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. West Virginia names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Donley
Nearby Names Like Donley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Donley
Compare Donley side by side: Donley vs Donald Donley vs Don Donley vs Donovan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Donley: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1934)
Similar record span (~85 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1909–1994 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Donley 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 August 2026.