Total births
141,960
Unisex name · since 1923
Riley
Riley has 141,960 recorded births since 1923 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2016 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #42
- among girls today
- 141,960
- born since 1923
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99.8%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Riley is the #42 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 141,960 recorded since 1923.
Social Security Administration records show Riley recorded 141,960 times among girls since 1923, holding rank #42 nationally today, ahead of 99.8% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1923 to 2025.
- #42 among girls today
- 141,960 born since 1923
- 2010s peak decade
- 99.8% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Riley is currently the #42 unisex name in America, more common than 99.8% of girls - 141,960 born since 1923, peaking in the 2010s.
- #42
- among girls today
- 141,960
- born since 1923
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 99.8%
- more common than other girls
Riley vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#42
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 99.8% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
40% of everyone ever named Riley was born in this single decade.
2016
Single peak year
7,159 babies were named Riley in 2016 - its busiest year on record.
How Riley compares
141,960 Top 2% higher than 98% 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
Riley's all-time total is 372x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Riley | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 141,960 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 7,159 | 48 | 19,840 |
Riley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Riley splits its recorded history at 1993: 99% of all births land in the more recent half, 1% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1923 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2016 peak of 7,159 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Riley at a glance
Top 100 girls' namePeak year
2016
Current rank
#42
Active since
1923
Riley popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1923–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 7,159
- Annual births at peak, across 103 years of records
Riley popularity over time - boys
105,025 total births recorded since 1880 (Riley as boys' name)
Riley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Riley's strongest decade.
56,150 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.
Riley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 11
1920s
11 births
- 1930s 11
1930s
11 births
- 1940s 21
1940s
21 births
- 1950s 18
1950s
18 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s 72
1970s
72 births
- 1980s 680
1980s
680 births
- 1990s 10,234
1990s
10,234 births
- 2000s
2000s
45,533 births
- 2010s
2010s
56,150 births
- 2020s
2020s
29,219 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 56,150 births (40% of all-time use).
How Riley 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 Riley's total volume
Riley vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Riley by state
Where Riley concentrates geographically, total births since 1923
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 13,869 | 9.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 10,490 | 7.4% |
| #3 | New York | | 7,683 | 5.4% |
| #4 | Florida | | 7,561 | 5.3% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 7,093 | 5.0% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 6,844 | 4.8% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 5,246 | 3.7% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 5,240 | 3.7% |
California share of Riley's total US births 9.8%
Even split
13,869 of 141,960 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Riley appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Riley? ▼
141,960 babies have been named Riley since 1923. It currently ranks #42 among girls. The peak year was 2016 with 7,159 births.
When was Riley most popular? ▼
Riley was most popular in the 2010s decade with 56,150 total births. The single peak year was 2016.
Where is Riley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Riley are California (13,869 births), Texas (10,490 births), New York (7,683 births).
Is Riley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Riley is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 141,960 births, and as a boy's name it has 105,025 births.
How long has the name Riley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Riley since 1923 -- 103 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Riley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rileigh, Rilynn, Rilee, Rilla, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Riley's data
- Riley's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (56,150 total births) through the 2020s (29,219) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Rileys (13,869 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Riley
Nearby Names Like Riley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Riley
Rileigh Girl
#4515 3,832 births
Rilynn Girl
#1778 3,660 births
Rilee Girl
#4160 3,324 births
Rilla Girl
#7597 2,659 births
Rilyn Girl
#4272 1,279 births
Compare Riley side by side: Riley vs Rileigh Riley vs Rilynn Riley vs Rilee
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Riley
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, 1923–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Riley: #42 Unisex Name - 141,960 Births, Peak 2016." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/riley. 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 Riley 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.