Riley Unisex

Popularity: #218 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationRYE-lee / /ˈraɪli/

Irish; English

Meaning

Irish: valiant; English: rye clearing

Historical & Cultural Background

Riley is derived from the Irish surname O'Reilly, which means 'descendant of Raghailleach.' It has been used as a given name since the 20th century, gaining popularity in English-speaking countries. The name has a unisex appeal, though it is more commonly used for boys in recent years.

Trend Summary

Riley has seen a steady increase in popularity in the United States, particularly for boys, over the past few decades.

Similar Names

Variants

  • Rylee
  • Rylie

International Variants

  • Riley (English)
  • Ryley (English)

Famous people named Riley

Riley Keough is an American actress and model known for her roles in films such as 'Mad Max: Fury Road.'.

Riley Cooper is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL.

Riley Smith is an American actor and musician recognized for his appearances in television series like 'Frequency.'.

Riley Cote is a former professional ice hockey player known for his time with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Fictional characters named Riley

Riley is a character in the animated film 'Inside Out,' representing the emotions of a young girl.

Riley Matthews is a character in the television series 'Girl Meets World,' known for her coming-of-age experiences.

Sibling Suggestions

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Riley was first seen in the United States in 1880. Riley has ranked as high as #172 nationally, which occurred in 2006, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, Washington, and Minnesota. In the past 5 years the name Riley has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Riley (2024)

StateBirthsShare
CA 124
8%
TX 114
8%
FL 86
6%
NC 72
5%
GA 69
5%
NY 64
4%
TN 60
4%
OH 57
4%
MI 56
4%
PA 56
4%
AL 51
3%
IL 49
3%
MO 46
3%
VA 46
3%
WA 39
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
188041
188147
188254
188345
188447
188558
188639
188746
188837
188944
189039
189128
189239
189336
189438
189549
189639
189744
189839
189935
190053
190130
190237
190329
190432
190534
190637
190740
190842
190949
191063
191147
191287
191397
1914101
1915142
1916166
1917139
1918174
1919194
1920166
1921160
1922163
1923174
1924168
1925165
1926179
1927162
1928168
1929163
1930162
1931137
1932131
1933153
1934156
1935156
1936156
1937139
1938141
1939139
1940150
1941174
1942157
1943171
1944171
1945139
1946166
1947186
1948179
1949170
1950152
1951146
1952163
1953164
1954166
1955130
1956134
1957141
1958115
1959113
1960107
1961102
1962112
196399
1964106
196573
196693
196773
196894
196979
197078
197196
197285
197390
197485
1975107
1976106
1977116
1978167
1979162
1980164
1981181
1982198
1983225
1984252
1985334
1986403
1987476
1988529
1989675
1990814
1991865
19921,067
19931,378
19941,588
19951,919
19962,393
19972,833
19983,013
19992,970
20003,421
20013,653
20023,959
20034,077
20044,110
20054,110
20064,396
20073,973
20084,131
20093,791
20103,649
20113,462
20122,890
20132,559
20142,446
20152,093
20161,728
20171,471
20181,470
20191,373
20201,368
20211,448
20221,599
20231,631
20241,567