Where does the name Riley come from?

Riley is a unisex name of Irish origin.

Is Riley a boy or a girl name?

Riley is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 57% of children given the name Riley are girls and 43% are boys.

How popular is the name Riley in 2023?

Riley ranks #43 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2008 with 9,906 babies.

How do you pronounce Riley?

Riley is pronounced RYE-lee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Riley?

Riley is also written as Reilly, Rylee, Ryley.

A name from Irish · Unisex

Riley

Anglicized from the Irish clan name Ó Raghallaigh; the root Raghallach is usually glossed as "valiant" or "courageous." The soft sound and tidy two syllables made it leap from surname to unisex first name in the 1990s.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

234,648 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

6,275 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

RAnglicized from the Irish clan name Ó Raghallaigh; the root Raghallach is usually glossed as "valiant" or "courageous." The soft sound and tidy two syllables made it leap from surname to unisex first name in the 1990s.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Riley".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Reilly Most common Rylee Ryley

Related guides

People often ask about Riley.

What does the name Riley mean?: Riley means anglicized from the Irish clan name Ó Raghallaigh; the root Raghallach is usually glossed as "valiant" or "courageous." The soft sound and tidy two syllables made it leap from surname to unisex first name in the 1990s.
Where does the name Riley come from?: Riley is a unisex name of Irish origin.
Is Riley a boy or a girl name?: Riley is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 57% of children given the name Riley are girls and 43% are boys.
How popular is the name Riley in 2023?: Riley ranks #43 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2008 with 9,906 babies.
How do you pronounce Riley?: Riley is pronounced RYE-lee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Riley?: Riley is also written as Reilly, Rylee, Ryley.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.

Riley

A 143-year arc in numbers.

A name that means something.

3 ways to spell "Riley".

Read more in the Almanac.

Is It a Boy or a Girl Name? A 2026 Guide to Gender-Neutral Names That Actually Work

People often ask about Riley.

If you love Riley, also consider…

About this page