Riley is a unisex name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Riley means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Riley across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Riley has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Riley is a unisex name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “courageous, valiant”. also an English place name meaning rye clearing.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 246,985 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 40,433 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 3,285 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,256 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 1,181 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 4,468 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Riley per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2008 (9,906/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2012 (4,858/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2012 (426/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2012 (189/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2015 (83/yr).
Riley has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 2008, when it ranked #56 nationally (given to 12,365 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 2000s.
Rylee · Reilly · Ryley · Rilla · Raylee · Rhylee · Rileigh · Rilee
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