Riley
Riley is a unisex name of Irish origin meaning “Rye clearing or courageous.” It ranked #48 in the United States in 2025. From the Irish surname Ó Raghailligh, possibly meaning courageous.
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how do you pronounce Riley?
RY-lee
where does the name Riley come from?
Riley has two independent sources that converged. The Irish surname comes from Ó Raghallaigh, an anglicisation of a Gaelic personal name of uncertain sense. The English surname derives from a place name meaning rye clearing, from ryge and leah. Modern bearers usually assume the Irish line.
It is also interpreted as an Old English place name meaning rye clearing. One of the most consistently popular unisex names in the US in recent decades.
how popular is this name?
Riley has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 36 years since 1990. It peaked at #22 in 2016, and ranked #48 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #48 |
| 2024 | #42 |
| 2023 | #43 |
| 2022 | #39 |
| 2021 | #37 |
| 2020 | #33 |
| 2019 | #30 |
| 2018 | #28 |
| 2017 | #25 |
| 2016 | #22 |
| 2010 | #40 |
| 2000 | #131 |
| 1990 | #822 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Riley fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Riley
The O'Reilly sept held territory in County Cavan and minted their own coinage in the fifteenth century, which is one proposed source of the American slang phrase the life of Reilly. As a given name Riley moved from surname to boys' name to substantially girls' name in the United States within about thirty years, and it now sits in the top hundred for both.
what are the nicknames and variants of Riley?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Riley?
- Riley Keough
- Riley Curry
what names are similar to Riley?
what names go well with Riley?
Sibling names that share Riley's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Riley
What does the name Riley mean?
Riley means “Rye clearing or courageous”.
What is the origin of the name Riley?
Riley comes from the Irish naming tradition. Related forms include Reilly, Rylee and Ryleigh.
How popular is the name Riley?
Riley ranked #48 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 2016, at #22, and it has spent 36 years in the top 1,000 since 1990.
Is Riley a boy or girl name?
Riley is a unisex name, used for both boys and girls.
How do you pronounce Riley?
Riley is pronounced RY-lee, with 2 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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