Riley
A unisex given name. A male given name transferred from the surname, of 19th century and later usage.
Every Riley since 1880 — 246,985 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Riley
Riley is a top-50 name for girls in the United States, ranked #48 in 2025 with 4,441 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 246,985 American babies have been named Riley — about 57% girls and 43% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2008, when 9,906 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Riley stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Riley 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 | 4,441 | #48 | 1,666 | #208 |
| 2024 | 4,657 | #42 | 1,573 | #229 |
| 2023 | 4,643 | #43 | 1,632 | #223 |
| 2022 | 4,914 | #39 | 1,600 | #225 |
| 2021 | 5,225 | #37 | 1,452 | #245 |
| 2020 | 5,339 | #33 | 1,368 | #257 |
| 2019 | 5,712 | #30 | 1,374 | #263 |
| 2018 | 6,010 | #28 | 1,470 | #250 |
| 2017 | 6,368 | #25 | 1,471 | #252 |
| 2016 | 7,159 | #22 | 1,728 | #224 |
| 2015 | 5,739 | #35 | 2,094 | #194 |
| 2014 | 4,800 | #47 | 2,448 | #174 |
| 2013 | 4,941 | #45 | 2,559 | #158 |
| 2012 | 4,833 | #47 | 2,890 | #133 |
| 2011 | 5,045 | #47 | 3,462 | #111 |
| 2010 | 5,543 | #40 | 3,649 | #105 |
| 2009 | 5,637 | #38 | 3,791 | #107 |
| 2008 | 5,774 | #39 | 4,132 | #106 |
| 2007 | 5,212 | #52 | 3,973 | #109 |
| 2006 | 5,056 | #56 | 4,396 | #101 |
| 2005 | 5,127 | #54 | 4,110 | #106 |
| 2004 | 4,982 | #58 | 4,110 | #106 |
| 2003 | 4,243 | #72 | 4,077 | #104 |
| 2002 | 3,906 | #77 | 3,959 | #99 |
| 2001 | 3,044 | #106 | 3,653 | #105 |
| 2000 | 2,552 | #131 | 3,421 | #109 |
| 1995 | 969 | #287 | 1,919 | #170 |
| 1990 | 238 | #826 | 814 | #311 |
| 1985 | 64 | #1,779 | 334 | #473 |
| 1980 | 18 | #4,271 | 164 | #678 |
| 1975 | 11 | #5,418 | 106 | #809 |
| 1970 | — | — | 78 | #908 |
| 1965 | 6 | #6,354 | 73 | #864 |
| 1960 | — | — | 107 | #747 |
| 1955 | — | — | 130 | #649 |
| 1950 | — | — | 152 | #548 |
| 1945 | — | — | 139 | #509 |
| 1940 | — | — | 150 | #474 |
| 1935 | — | — | 156 | #457 |
| 1930 | 5 | #5,120 | 162 | #467 |
| 1925 | — | — | 165 | #471 |
| 1920 | — | — | 166 | #473 |
| 1915 | — | — | 142 | #461 |
| 1910 | — | — | 63 | #315 |
| 1905 | — | — | 34 | #357 |
| 1900 | — | — | 53 | #286 |
| 1895 | — | — | 49 | #259 |
| 1890 | — | — | 39 | #277 |
| 1885 | — | — | 58 | #210 |
| 1880 | — | — | 41 | #265 |
Famous people named Riley
- Riley Reid Pornographic actor · b. 1991
- Riley Steele Pornographic actor · b. 1987
- Riley Keough Actor · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Riley mean?
A unisex given name. A male given name transferred from the surname, of 19th century and later usage.
How popular is the name Riley in 2025?
Riley ranked #48 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,441 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Riley?
246,985 babies have been named Riley in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Riley most popular?
Riley peaked in 2008, when 9,906 newborns received the name.
Is Riley a boy or girl name?
Riley is used for both: about 57% of babies named Riley have been girls and 43% boys.
Is the name Riley rising or falling?
Riley has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Riley?
Well-known people named Riley include Riley Reid (pornographic actor), Riley Steele (pornographic actor), Riley Keough (actor).