Riley
Riley is a unisex name: 4,441 girls and 1,666 boys were given it in 2025 (#48 among girls’ names and #208 among boys’, #74 among all names counting both); 246,985 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026). Girls have outnumbered boys among babies named Riley every year since 2003.
An estimated 237,000 Americans named Riley and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (96% of everyone recorded); the median is 17 years old and half are between 9 and 23.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Riley by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Riley mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Riley is “a female given name from surname, of 1990s and later usage.” Its etymology gives the senses “rye” (ryge) and “clearing, meadow” (leah).
Also “a male given name transferred from the surname, of 19th century and later usage.”
From Ryley in Lancashire, from Old English ryge (“rye”) + leah (“clearing, meadow”). Equivalent to rye + -ley (“lea”).
A variant of Reilly, from Irish Ó Raghallaigh.
/ˈɹaɪ.li/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Riley?
#48 among girls’ names, 2025
Riley fell from #35 in 2015 to #48 in 2025 among girls’ names; its share of girls born fell from 3.2 to 2.8 per 1,000.
9,906 babies in 2008, the peak
Riley peaked in 2008, when 9,906 babies were given it (5,774 girls, #39 among girls’ names). The 6,107 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 62% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,441 | #48 | 1,666 | #208 |
| 2024 | 4,657 | #42 | 1,573 | #229 |
| 2023 | 4,643 | #43 | 1,632 | #223 |
| 2022 | 4,914 | #39 | 1,600 | #225 |
| 2021 | 5,225 | #37 | 1,452 | #245 |
| 2020 | 5,339 | #33 | 1,368 | #257 |
| 2019 | 5,712 | #30 | 1,374 | #263 |
| 2018 | 6,010 | #28 | 1,470 | #250 |
| 2017 | 6,368 | #25 | 1,471 | #252 |
| 2016 | 7,159 | #22 | 1,728 | #224 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 5,739 | #35 | 2,094 | #194 |
| 2014 | 4,800 | #47 | 2,448 | #174 |
| 2013 | 4,941 | #45 | 2,559 | #158 |
| 2012 | 4,833 | #47 | 2,890 | #133 |
| 2011 | 5,045 | #47 | 3,462 | #111 |
| 2010 | 5,543 | #40 | 3,649 | #105 |
| 2009 | 5,637 | #38 | 3,791 | #107 |
| 2008 | 5,774 | #39 | 4,132 | #106 |
| 2007 | 5,212 | #52 | 3,973 | #109 |
| 2006 | 5,056 | #56 | 4,396 | #101 |
| 2005 | 5,127 | #54 | 4,110 | #106 |
| 2004 | 4,982 | #58 | 4,110 | #106 |
| 2003 | 4,243 | #72 | 4,077 | #104 |
| 2002 | 3,906 | #77 | 3,959 | #99 |
| 2001 | 3,044 | #106 | 3,653 | #105 |
| 2000 | 2,552 | #131 | 3,421 | #109 |
| 1999 | 2,312 | #138 | 2,970 | #127 |
| 1998 | 1,877 | #166 | 3,013 | #128 |
| 1997 | 1,669 | #184 | 2,833 | #135 |
| 1996 | 1,150 | #247 | 2,393 | #146 |
| 1995 | 969 | #287 | 1,919 | #170 |
| 1994 | 756 | #350 | 1,588 | #194 |
| 1993 | 553 | #453 | 1,379 | #218 |
| 1992 | 424 | #556 | 1,067 | #267 |
| 1991 | 286 | #727 | 865 | #297 |
| 1990 | 238 | #825 | 814 | #311 |
| 1989 | 169 | #1,013 | 675 | #342 |
| 1988 | 124 | #1,215 | 529 | #378 |
| 1987 | 88 | #1,481 | 476 | #399 |
| 1986 | 99 | #1,337 | 403 | #431 |
| 1985 | 64 | #1,778 | 334 | #473 |
| 1984 | 22 | #3,689 | 252 | #549 |
| 1983 | 36 | #2,541 | 225 | #563 |
| 1982 | 35 | #2,686 | 198 | #613 |
| 1981 | 25 | #3,409 | 180 | #635 |
| 1980 | 18 | #4,270 | 164 | #678 |
| 1979 | 16 | #4,565 | 162 | #671 |
| 1978 | 13 | #5,137 | 166 | #653 |
| 1977 | 10 | #6,222 | 116 | #795 |
| 1976 | 7 | #7,911 | 106 | #814 |
| 1975 | 11 | #5,416 | 106 | #809 |
| 1974 | 8 | #6,716 | 85 | #877 |
| 1973 | 7 | #7,239 | 90 | #841 |
| 1972 | under 5 | 85 | #876 | |
| 1971 | under 5 | 96 | #827 | |
| 1970 | under 5 | 78 | #908 | |
| 1969 | under 5 | 79 | #867 | |
| 1968 | 5 | #7,907 | 94 | #769 |
| 1967 | under 5 | 73 | #841 | |
| 1966 | under 5 | 93 | #761 | |
| 1965 | 6 | #6,353 | 73 | #864 |
| 1964 | under 5 | 106 | #748 | |
| 1963 | under 5 | 99 | #770 | |
| 1962 | under 5 | 112 | #727 | |
| 1961 | under 5 | 102 | #766 | |
| 1960 | under 5 | 107 | #746 | |
| 1959 | under 5 | 113 | #720 | |
| 1958 | under 5 | 115 | #699 | |
| 1957 | 6 | #5,930 | 141 | #647 |
| 1956 | under 5 | 134 | #655 | |
| 1955 | under 5 | 130 | #648 | |
| 1954 | under 5 | 166 | #573 | |
| 1953 | under 5 | 164 | #552 | |
| 1952 | 7 | #4,831 | 163 | #546 |
| 1951 | 5 | #6,052 | 146 | #569 |
| 1950 | under 5 | 152 | #547 | |
| 1949 | under 5 | 170 | #510 | |
| 1948 | under 5 | 179 | #494 | |
| 1947 | 6 | #5,173 | 186 | #495 |
| 1946 | under 5 | 166 | #503 | |
| 1945 | under 5 | 139 | #509 | |
| 1944 | under 5 | 171 | #467 | |
| 1943 | 5 | #5,232 | 171 | #474 |
| 1942 | 5 | #5,232 | 157 | #493 |
| 1941 | 5 | #4,946 | 174 | #446 |
| 1940 | under 5 | 150 | #474 | |
| 1939 | under 5 | 139 | #490 | |
| 1938 | under 5 | 141 | #491 | |
| 1937 | 6 | #4,172 | 139 | #483 |
| 1936 | under 5 | 156 | #452 | |
| 1935 | under 5 | 156 | #457 | |
| 1934 | under 5 | 156 | #450 | |
| 1933 | under 5 | 153 | #448 | |
| 1932 | under 5 | 131 | #503 | |
| 1931 | under 5 | 137 | #492 | |
| 1930 | 5 | #5,118 | 162 | #467 |
| 1929 | 6 | #4,481 | 163 | #461 |
| 1928 | under 5 | 168 | #471 | |
| 1927 | under 5 | 162 | #478 | |
| 1926 | under 5 | 179 | #453 | |
| 1925 | under 5 | 165 | #471 | |
| 1924 | under 5 | 168 | #478 | |
| 1923 | 5 | #5,571 | 174 | #467 |
| 1922 | under 5 | 163 | #482 | |
| 1921 | under 5 | 160 | #491 | |
| 1920 | under 5 | 166 | #473 | |
| 1919 | under 5 | 194 | #421 | |
| 1918 | under 5 | 174 | #450 | |
| 1917 | under 5 | 139 | #489 | |
| 1916 | under 5 | 166 | #436 | |
| 1915 | under 5 | 142 | #461 | |
| 1914 | under 5 | 101 | #486 | |
| 1913 | under 5 | 97 | #433 | |
| 1912 | under 5 | 87 | #419 | |
| 1911 | under 5 | 47 | #424 | |
| 1910 | under 5 | 63 | #315 | |
| 1909 | under 5 | 49 | #332 | |
| 1908 | under 5 | 42 | #353 | |
| 1907 | under 5 | 40 | #348 | |
| 1906 | under 5 | 37 | #344 | |
| 1905 | under 5 | 34 | #357 | |
| 1904 | under 5 | 32 | #356 | |
| 1903 | under 5 | 29 | #359 | |
| 1902 | under 5 | 37 | #325 | |
| 1901 | under 5 | 30 | #332 | |
| 1900 | under 5 | 53 | #286 | |
| 1899 | under 5 | 35 | #299 | |
| 1898 | under 5 | 39 | #305 | |
| 1897 | under 5 | 44 | #268 | |
| 1896 | under 5 | 39 | #300 | |
| 1895 | under 5 | 49 | #259 | |
| 1894 | under 5 | 38 | #288 | |
| 1893 | under 5 | 36 | #289 | |
| 1892 | under 5 | 39 | #297 | |
| 1891 | under 5 | 28 | #322 | |
| 1890 | under 5 | 39 | #277 | |
| 1889 | under 5 | 44 | #248 | |
| 1888 | under 5 | 37 | #296 | |
| 1887 | under 5 | 46 | #240 | |
| 1886 | under 5 | 39 | #274 | |
| 1885 | under 5 | 58 | #210 | |
| 1884 | under 5 | 47 | #253 | |
| 1883 | under 5 | 45 | #238 | |
| 1882 | under 5 | 54 | #224 | |
| 1881 | under 5 | 47 | #222 | |
| 1880 | under 5 | 41 | #265 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Riley a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 246,985 Americans recorded as Riley, 57% are girls and 43% boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Riley: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Riley, and how old are they?
237,000 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 96% of the 246,985 Americans ever recorded as Riley. The median Riley alive today is 17 years old; half are between 9 and 23.
The 2020 Census counted 191,103 people named Riley (107,771 women and girls, 83,332 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 201,767 born in the U.S. The Census count is 5% below that prediction.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 548 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 1,720 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 1,580 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 17,700 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 124,000 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 91,800 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Riley born?
The states with the most babies named Riley are California, Texas and Florida, with 22% of its births recorded by state in 2025.
| State | Births 2025 | Rank, girls | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 507 | #72 | 0.7× |
| Texas | 473 | #70 | 0.7× |
| Florida | 368 | #53 | 0.9× |
| New York | 322 | #48 | 0.7× |
| Pennsylvania | 292 | #22 | 1.1× |
| Ohio | 250 | #37 | 1.1× |
| North Carolina | 249 | #45 | 1.1× |
| Georgia | 235 | #31 | 1.0× |
| Virginia | 211 | #30 | 1.0× |
| Tennessee | 190 | #35 | 1.1× |
Where Riley is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Riley is most over-represented in Montana: since 1910 it was given 1.4 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among girls’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Riley with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 8 names spelled alike, given to 332,092 babies since 1880, Riley is the most given (74% of them). In 2025 it was given to 6,107 of their 8,409 babies (73%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Riley
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
| Name | Recorded | 1880-2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Ashtyn | 8,527 |
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Riley and names like it
- Compare Riley and RyleeBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 2000sRiley peaked in 2008.
- California’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Riley since 1910.
- From surnamesWiktionary’s origin for Riley: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 2008The year the most babies were named Riley.
- The names of Generation ZMost people named Riley alive today were born 1997-2012.
- Names starting with RMost given first.