Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1952

Farley

Meaning fern Gender Boy · 2% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

From Old English fearn (“fern”) + lēah (“woodland”).

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Farley
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1952
39 babies
All-time total
1,097
#4,884 all-time among boys
First recorded
1884
in Social Security records

Farley popularity over time

1,097 babies have been named Farley since 1884, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 5 5 1 – #1,023
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – 61 61 6 – #2,197
1920s – 85 85 9 +39% #2,255
1930s – 77 77 8 -9% #2,168
1940s – 113 113 11 +47% #1,657
1950s – 309 309 31 +173% #1,186
1960s – 219 219 22 -29% #1,285
1970s 10 93 103 10 -53% #2,544
1980s – 73 73 7 -29% #3,548
1990s – 19 19 2 -74% #4,248
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – 5 5 1 – #12,900
2020s (to 2025) 7 21 28 5 +833% #7,944

The story of Farley

Farley is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1884, 1,097 American babies have been named Farley. Its peak came in 1952, when 39 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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 Farley stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Farley?

The median living Farley is about 64 years old; half are between 51 and 70. An estimated 700 people named Farley are alive in the United States today.

median 64 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Farley 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 – – – –
2024 7 #12,599 10 #7,944
2023 – – – –
2022 – – 6 #11,307
2021 – – – –
2020 – – 5 #12,661
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – 5 #12,900
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – – –
2003 – – – –
2002 – – – –
2001 – – – –
2000 – – – –
1995 – – – –
1990 – – 13 #4,248
1985 – – 6 #6,029
1980 – – 5 #6,575
1975 – – 8 #4,064
1970 – – 14 #2,544
1965 – – 24 #1,603
1960 – – 29 #1,495
1955 – – 39 #1,203
1950 – – 13 #2,141
1945 – – 14 #1,878
1940 – – 6 #3,240
1935 – – 12 #2,168
1930 – – 7 #3,396
1925 – – 12 #2,485
1920 – – 14 #2,255
1915 – – 8 #2,914
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Farley

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Farley Granger Farley Granger American actor (1925–2011) Contemporary
  2. 2 Farley Mowat Farley Mowat Canadian writer and environmentalist (1921–2014) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Farley, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Farley?

The median living Farley is about 64 years old. Half of all living Farleys are between 51 and 70 years old.

How many people named Farley are alive today?

An estimated 700 people named Farley are alive in the United States, based on 1,097 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Farley mean?

From Old English fearn (“fern”) + lēah (“woodland”).

How popular is the name Farley in 2025?

Farley did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Farley?

1,097 babies have been named Farley in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Farley most popular?

Farley peaked in 1952, when 39 newborns received the name.

Is Farley a boy or girl name?

Farley is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 98% of babies with the name.

Is the name Farley rising or falling?

Farley is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Farley?

Well-known people named Farley include Farley Granger (actor), Farley Mowat (writer).

Names like Farley

Names that sound and feel close to Farley: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Farley with similar names → More names starting with F →