Total births
1,020
Boys' name · since 1880
Perley
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 1,020 babies named Perley, peaking in 1915. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 1,020
- total births
- 1880–1964
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
Perley is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 1,020 have been recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Perley recorded 1,020 times among boys since 1880, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 1964.
- 1,020 total births
- 1880–1964 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 22% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,020 boys have been named Perley since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1964.
- 1,020
- total births
- 1880–1964
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 22%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Perley was born in this single decade.
1915
Single peak year
30 babies were named Perley in 1915 - its busiest year on record.
Perley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Perley's full recorded timeline at 1921, 54% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 46% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1889, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1915 peak of 30 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Perley at a glance
Last recorded 1964Peak year
1915
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Perley popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–1964
- Peak year (1915)
- 30
- Annual births at peak, across 85 years of records
Perley popularity over time - girls
32 total births recorded since 1890 (Perley as girls' name)
Perley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Perley's strongest decade.
220 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Perley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s
1880s
118 births
- 1890s
1890s
88 births
- 1900s 58
1900s
58 births
- 1910s
1910s
179 births
- 1920s
1920s
220 births
- 1930s
1930s
175 births
- 1940s
1940s
106 births
- 1950s 62
1950s
62 births
- 1960s 14
1960s
14 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 220 births (22% of all-time use).
How Perley 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 Perley's total volume
Perley vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Perley by state
Where Perley concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Maine | | 204 | 20.0% |
| #2 | New Hampshire | | 31 | 3.0% |
| #3 | Vermont | | 23 | 2.3% |
| #4 | Massachusetts | | 15 | 1.5% |
Maine share of Perley's total US births 20.0%
Even split
204 of 1,020 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Perley? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 1,020 babies named Perley. The most recent recorded year was 1964. Its busiest year on record was 1915, with 30 births.
When was Perley most popular? ▼
Perley was most popular in the 1920s decade with 220 total births. The single peak year was 1915.
Where is Perley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Perley are Maine (204 births), New Hampshire (31 births), Vermont (23 births).
How long has the name Perley been used? ▼
Records for Perley go back to 1880, giving 85 years of history through 1964.
What names are similar to Perley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Perry, Percy, Pernell, Perrin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Perley's data
- Perley's decade-level peak was the 1920s (220 total births); usage has since declined to 14 in the 1960s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Maine records the most Perleys (204 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Maine 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 Perley
Nearby Names Like Perley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Perley
Perry Boy
#1238 76,044 births
Percy Boy
#1256 32,204 births
Pernell Boy
3,037 births
Perrin Boy
#3696 1,568 births
Percival Boy
#1768 1,466 births
Compare Perley side by side: Perley vs Perry Perley vs Percy Perley vs Pernell
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, 1880–1964 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Perley: Baby Name Since 1880 - 1,020 Births, Peak 1915." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/perley. 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 Perley 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.