Total births
564
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.
- 564
- total births
- 1909–1994
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that 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.
- 564 total births
- 1909–1994 years on record
- 1930s peak decade
- 26% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
564 boys have been named Donley since 1909, peaking in the 1930s, last recorded in 1994.
- 564
- total births
- 1909–1994
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that decade
1930s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Donley was born in this single decade.
1934
Single peak year
21 babies were named Donley in 1934 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 1994Peak year
1934
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1909
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
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% |
West Virginia share of Donley's total US births 0.9%
5 of 564 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Donley? ▼
564 babies have been named Donley since 1909. It was last recorded in 1994. The peak year was 1934 with 21 births.
When was Donley most popular? ▼
Donley was most popular in the 1930s decade with 146 total births. The single peak year was 1934.
Where is Donley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Donley are West Virginia (5 births).
How long has the name Donley been used? ▼
Records for Donley go back to 1909, giving 86 years of history through 1994.
What names are similar to Donley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Donald, Don, Donovan, Donnie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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
- 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 Donley
Nearby Names Like Donley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Donley
Donald Boy
#673 1,414,824 births
Don Boy
#1776 167,632 births
Donovan Boy
#506 61,684 births
Donnie Boy
#1769 60,928 births
Donte Boy
#1964 15,695 births
Compare Donley side by side: Donley vs Donald Donley vs Don Donley vs Donovan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Donley: Baby Name Since 1909 - 564 Births, Peak 1934." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/donley. 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 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 July 2026.