Mostly boys
Aiden
Irish
“little and fiery”
Unisex · English, Irish
Riley
“rye clearing (English); Irish surname origin uncertain”
Say it RY-leePronunciation may vary by region.
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A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Meet Riley.
Riley has both English and Irish surname histories. The English version refers to a rye clearing. The Irish version is related to Reilly and the given name Raghailleach, whose meaning is uncertain; courage is a traditional association rather than a firmly established translation.
Riley's two-syllable sound works as an independent first name. Its separate histories make it useful to distinguish a family's heritage connection from the name's modern unisex usage.
A little perspective
How popular is Riley?
Girls · 2025#484,441 recorded births
Boys · 2025#2081,666 recorded births
Recorded US births over time
● Girls● Boys
View the numbers behind the chart
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 208 | 1,666 |
| 2025 | Girls | 48 | 4,441 |
| 2024 | Boys | 229 | 1,573 |
| 2024 | Girls | 42 | 4,657 |
| 2023 | Boys | 223 | 1,632 |
| 2023 | Girls | 43 | 4,643 |
| 2022 | Boys | 225 | 1,600 |
| 2022 | Girls | 39 | 4,914 |
| 2021 | Boys | 245 | 1,452 |
| 2021 | Girls | 37 | 5,225 |
| 2020 | Boys | 257 | 1,368 |
| 2020 | Girls | 33 | 5,339 |
| 2019 | Boys | 263 | 1,374 |
| 2019 | Girls | 30 | 5,712 |
| 2018 | Boys | 250 | 1,470 |
| 2018 | Girls | 28 | 6,010 |
| 2017 | Boys | 252 | 1,471 |
| 2017 | Girls | 25 | 6,368 |
| 2016 | Boys | 224 | 1,728 |
| 2016 | Girls | 22 | 7,159 |
| 2015 | Boys | 194 | 2,094 |
| 2015 | Girls | 35 | 5,739 |
| 2014 | Boys | 174 | 2,448 |
| 2014 | Girls | 47 | 4,800 |
Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.
A few ways to make it theirs.
Nicknames
No nicknames are listed yet. The name can stand beautifully on its own.
Variations & related forms
ReillyRyleeRyleigh
Keep the possibilities coming
If you love Riley…
More names with a similar feeling or shared roots.