Carley
A female given name from the Germanic languages, a less common spelling of Carly.
Every Carley since 1912 — 17,328 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carley
Carley is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,725 in 2025 with 63 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1912, 17,328 American babies have been named Carley. Its peak came in 1998, when 718 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Carley stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carley year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63 | #2,725 | — | — |
| 2024 | 53 | #3,057 | — | — |
| 2023 | 62 | #2,760 | — | — |
| 2022 | 86 | #2,196 | — | — |
| 2021 | 123 | #1,682 | — | — |
| 2020 | 108 | #1,822 | — | — |
| 2019 | 134 | #1,588 | — | — |
| 2018 | 151 | #1,453 | — | — |
| 2017 | 147 | #1,508 | — | — |
| 2016 | 171 | #1,372 | — | — |
| 2015 | 234 | #1,106 | — | — |
| 2014 | 237 | #1,080 | — | — |
| 2013 | 293 | #882 | — | — |
| 2012 | 272 | #940 | — | — |
| 2011 | 291 | #896 | — | — |
| 2010 | 360 | #760 | — | — |
| 2009 | 402 | #720 | — | — |
| 2008 | 489 | #632 | — | — |
| 2007 | 563 | #546 | — | — |
| 2006 | 533 | #552 | — | — |
| 2005 | 628 | #486 | — | — |
| 2004 | 567 | #512 | 8 | #8,254 |
| 2003 | 537 | #526 | — | — |
| 2002 | 572 | #488 | — | — |
| 2001 | 607 | #457 | — | — |
| 2000 | 687 | #411 | — | — |
| 1995 | 618 | #418 | 6 | #7,940 |
| 1990 | 271 | #761 | 5 | #8,296 |
| 1985 | 176 | #901 | — | — |
| 1980 | 84 | #1,448 | — | — |
| 1975 | 41 | #2,100 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | 5 | #6,639 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,295 | 6 | #3,554 |
| 1950 | 10 | #3,452 | 7 | #3,067 |
| 1945 | 5 | #4,636 | 8 | #2,590 |
| 1940 | 12 | #2,442 | 14 | #1,911 |
| 1935 | 6 | #3,811 | 7 | #3,000 |
| 1930 | 14 | #2,322 | 8 | #3,057 |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,399 | 7 | #3,460 |
| 1920 | — | — | 15 | #2,150 |
| 1915 | — | — | 9 | #2,659 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carley mean?
A female given name from the Germanic languages, a less common spelling of Carly.
How popular is the name Carley in 2025?
Carley ranked #2,725 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 63 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Carley?
17,328 babies have been named Carley in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carley most popular?
Carley peaked in 1998, when 718 newborns received the name.
Is Carley a boy or girl name?
Carley is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Carley rising or falling?
Carley is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.