Total births
3,856
Unisex name · since 1981
Ryley
Ryley has 3,856 recorded births since 1981 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2007 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5126
- among boys today
- 3,856
- born since 1981
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 64%
- more common than other boys
Ryley currently ranks #5126 among unisex names in America, with 3,856 babies recorded since 1981.
Social Security Administration records show Ryley recorded 3,856 times among boys since 1981, holding rank #5126 nationally today, ahead of 64% of boys, 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 1981 to 2025.
- #5126 among boys today
- 3,856 born since 1981
- 2000s peak decade
- 64% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ryley is currently the #5126 unisex name in America, more common than 64% of boys - 3,856 born since 1981, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5126
- among boys today
- 3,856
- born since 1981
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 64%
- more common than other boys
Ryley vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5126
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 64% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
43% of everyone ever named Ryley was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
186 babies were named Ryley in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
How Ryley compares
3,856 Top 14% higher than 86% 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
Ryley's all-time total is 11x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ryley | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,856 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 186 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ryley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ryley's full recorded timeline at 2003, 60% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 40% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1981, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2007 peak of 186 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ryley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2007
Current rank
#5,126
Active since
1981
Ryley popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1981–2025
- Peak year (2007)
- 186
- Annual births at peak, across 45 years of records
Ryley popularity over time - girls
3,341 total births recorded since 1984 (Ryley as girls' name)
Ryley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Ryley's strongest decade.
1,643 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Ryley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 128
1980s
128 births
- 1990s
1990s
898 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,643 births
- 2010s
2010s
974 births
- 2020s 213
2020s
213 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,643 births (43% of all-time use).
How Ryley 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 Ryley's total volume
Ryley vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ryley by state
Where Ryley concentrates geographically, total births since 1981
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 304 | 7.9% |
| #2 | Texas | | 179 | 4.6% |
| #3 | Florida | | 132 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Washington | | 127 | 3.3% |
| #5 | New York | | 125 | 3.2% |
| #6 | Minnesota | | 114 | 3.0% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 114 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 102 | 2.6% |
California share of Ryley's total US births 7.9%
Even split
304 of 3,856 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 30 reporting states.
Ryley appears in 30 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ryley? ▼
3,856 babies have been named Ryley since 1981. It currently ranks #5126 among boys. The peak year was 2007 with 186 births.
When was Ryley most popular? ▼
Ryley was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,643 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Where is Ryley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ryley are California (304 births), Texas (179 births), Florida (132 births).
Is Ryley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ryley is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 3,856 births, and as a girl's name it has 3,341 births.
How long has the name Ryley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Ryley since 1981 -- 45 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Ryley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rylan, Ryland, Rylee, Rylen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ryley's data
- Ryley's decade-level peak was the 2000s (1,643 total births); usage has since declined to 213 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Ryleys (304 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 Ryley
Nearby Names Like Ryley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ryley
Rylan Boy
#369 34,532 births
Ryland Boy
#729 13,169 births
Rylee Boy
#1698 5,547 births
Rylen Boy
#1468 3,391 births
Rylie Boy
#5336 1,214 births
Compare Ryley side by side: Ryley vs Rylan Ryley vs Ryland Ryley vs Rylee
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ryley
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, 1981–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ryley: #5126 Unisex Name - 3,856 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ryley. 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 Ryley 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.