Total births
2,581
Boys' name · since 1881
Hurley
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 2,581 babies named Hurley, peaking in 1919. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8324
- among boys today
- 2,581
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
2,581 babies have been named Hurley since 1881, making it today's #8324 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Hurley has been recorded 2,581 times among boys since 1881, currently ranked #8324 nationally and more common than 42% of boys, 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 1881 to 2024.
- #8324 among boys today
- 2,581 born since 1881
- 1920s peak decade
- 42% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Hurley is currently the #8324 boys' name in America, more common than 42% of boys - 2,581 born since 1881, peaking in the 1920s.
- #8324
- among boys today
- 2,581
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 42%
- more common than other boys
Hurley vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#8324
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 42% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
16% of everyone ever named Hurley was born in this single decade.
1919
Single peak year
54 babies were named Hurley in 1919 - its busiest year on record.
How Hurley compares
2,581 Top 18% higher than 82% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Hurley's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Hurley | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,581 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 54 | 23 | 22,252 |
Hurley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Hurley's full recorded timeline at 1949, 39% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 61% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1886, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1919 peak of 54 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Hurley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1919
Current rank
#8,324
Active since
1881
Hurley popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2024
- Peak year (1919)
- 54
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Hurley popularity over time - girls
78 total births recorded since 1910 (Hurley as girls' name)
Hurley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Hurley's strongest decade.
406 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Hurley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 36
1880s
36 births
- 1890s 74
1890s
74 births
- 1900s 76
1900s
76 births
- 1910s
1910s
287 births
- 1920s
1920s
406 births
- 1930s
1930s
395 births
- 1940s
1940s
338 births
- 1950s
1950s
276 births
- 1960s 148
1960s
148 births
- 1970s 93
1970s
93 births
- 1980s 69
1980s
69 births
- 1990s 25
1990s
25 births
- 2000s 93
2000s
93 births
- 2010s
2010s
204 births
- 2020s 61
2020s
61 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 406 births (16% of all-time use).
How Hurley 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 Hurley's total volume
Hurley vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Hurley by state
Where Hurley concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 251 | 9.7% |
| #2 | Virginia | | 90 | 3.5% |
| #3 | Tennessee | | 42 | 1.6% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 17 | 0.7% |
| #5 | California | | 6 | 0.2% |
| #6 | Texas | | 6 | 0.2% |
| #7 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.2% |
North Carolina share of Hurley's total US births 9.7%
Even split
251 of 2,581 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Hurley? ▼
Since 1881, Social Security records show 2,581 babies named Hurley. Today it holds rank #8324 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1919, with 54 births.
When was Hurley most popular? ▼
Hurley was most popular in the 1920s decade with 406 total births. The single peak year was 1919.
Where is Hurley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Hurley are North Carolina (251 births), Virginia (90 births), Tennessee (42 births).
How long has the name Hurley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Hurley since 1881 -- 144 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Hurley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Hurshel, Hurbert, Huriel, Hurman, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Hurley's data
- Hurley's decade-level peak was the 1920s (406 total births); usage has since declined to 61 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Hurleys (251 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Hurley
Nearby Names Like Hurley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Hurley
Hurshel Boy
841 births
Hurbert Boy
640 births
Huriel Boy
278 births
Hurman Boy
203 births
Hurshell Boy
131 births
Compare Hurley side by side: Hurley vs Hurshel Hurley vs Hurbert Hurley vs Huriel
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Hurley
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, 1881–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Hurley: #8324 Boys' Name - 2,581 Births, Peak 1919." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/hurley. 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 Hurley 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.