Total births
7,955
Girls' name · since 1972
Karley
Since 1972, U.S. Social Security records show 7,955 babies named Karley, peaking in 2005. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3290
- among girls today
- 7,955
- born since 1972
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Karley is the #3290 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 7,955 recorded since 1972.
Social Security Administration records show Karley recorded 7,955 times among girls since 1972, holding rank #3290 nationally today, ahead of 81% of girls, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2025.
- #3290 among girls today
- 7,955 born since 1972
- 2000s peak decade
- 81% more common than other girls
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Karley is currently the #3290 girls' name in America, more common than 81% of girls - 7,955 born since 1972, peaking in the 2000s.
- #3290
- among girls today
- 7,955
- born since 1972
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other girls
Karley vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3290
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 81% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
36% of everyone ever named Karley was born in this single decade.
2005
Single peak year
317 babies were named Karley in 2005 - its busiest year on record.
How Karley compares
7,955 Top 10% higher than 90% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Karley's all-time total is 21x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Karley | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,955 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 317 | 48 | 19,840 |
Karley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Karley's SSA record in two at 1999 and the more recent half accounts for 67% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 33%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1972, with only 7 births recorded -- set against the 2005 peak of 317, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Karley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2005
Current rank
#3,290
Active since
1972
Karley popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2025
- Peak year (2005)
- 317
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Karley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Karley's strongest decade.
2,825 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Karley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 83
1970s
83 births
- 1980s 414
1980s
414 births
- 1990s
1990s
2,452 births
- 2000s
2000s
2,825 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,647 births
- 2020s 534
2020s
534 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 2,825 births (36% of all-time use).
How Karley compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Karley's total volume
Karley vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Karley by state
Where Karley concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 621 | 7.8% |
| #2 | California | | 449 | 5.6% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 370 | 4.7% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 339 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 325 | 4.1% |
| #6 | Florida | | 268 | 3.4% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 254 | 3.2% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 247 | 3.1% |
Texas share of Karley's total US births 7.8%
Even split
621 of 7,955 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 39 reporting states.
Karley appears in 39 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Karley? ▼
Karley has been given to 7,955 babies in the U.S. since 1972, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #3290 as of the latest data. 317 babies were born in 2005, its single highest year.
When was Karley most popular? ▼
Karley was most popular in the 2000s decade with 2,825 total births. The single peak year was 2005.
Where is Karley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Karley are Texas (621 births), California (449 births), Ohio (370 births).
How long has the name Karley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Karley since 1972 -- 54 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Karley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Karen, Kara, Karla, Karina, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Karley's data
- Karley's decade-level peak was the 2000s (2,825 total births); usage has since declined to 534 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Karleys (621 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Karley
Nearby Names Like Karley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karley
Karen Girl
#1251 987,989 births
Kara Girl
#990 101,743 births
Karla Girl
#733 91,586 births
Karina Girl
#772 61,464 births
Kari Girl
#1843 59,696 births
Compare Karley side by side: Karley vs Karen Karley vs Kara Karley vs Karla
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Karley
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, 1972–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Karley: #3290 Girls' Name - 7,955 Births, Peak 2005." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/karley. 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 Karley 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.