Riley

#48 for girls in 2025, 4,441 births · #207 for boys in 2025, 1,666 births
Given to girls 57.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
2016 · 7,159 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
24 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
141,960
since 1923

Riley over time

girlsboys

Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201986peak #22, 2016peak #99, 2002girlsboys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#484,441#2071,666
2024#424,657#2291,573
2023#434,643#2231,632
2022#394,914#2251,600
2021#375,225#2451,452
2020#335,339#2571,368
2019#305,712#2631,374
2018#286,010#2501,470
2017#256,368#2521,471
2016#227,159#2241,728
2015#355,739#1942,094
2014#474,800#1742,448
2013#454,941#1572,559
2012#474,833#1332,890
2011#475,045#1113,462
2010#405,543#1053,649
2009#385,637#1073,791
2008#395,774#1064,132
2007#525,212#1093,973
2006#565,056#1014,396
2005#545,127#1064,110
2004#584,982#1064,110
2003#724,243#1044,077
2002#773,906#993,959
2001#1063,044#1053,653
2000#1312,552#1093,421
1999#1382,312#1272,970
1998#1661,877#1283,013
1997#1841,669#1352,833
1996#2461,150#1462,393
1995#287969#1701,919
1994#349756#1941,588
1993#453553#2181,379
1992#555424#2661,067
1991#726286#297865
1990#822238#311814
1989#1,014169#342675
1988#1,210124#378529
1987#1,47088#398476
1986#1,32799#431403
1985#1,76064#473334
1984#3,61322#547252
1983#2,51636#562225
1982#2,64535#611198
1981#3,34025#635180
1980#4,14818#678164
1979#4,42016#671162
1978#4,93113#651166
1977#5,88810#793116
1976#7,2967#809106
1975#5,16111#808106
1974#6,2588#86785
1973#6,6667#83990
1972#87385
1971#82296
1970#90578
1969#86179
1968#7,0165#76594
1967#83673
1966#75793
1965#5,8176#85973
1964#747106
1963#76699
1962#725112
1961#762102
1960#745107
1959#721113
1958#699115
1957#5,3776#648141
1956#655134
1955#648130
1954#573166
1953#551164
1952#4,4837#546163
1951#5,4145#566146
1950#548152
1949#510170
1948#492179
1947#4,7646#495186
1946#501166
1945#507139
1944#467171
1943#4,6915#473171
1942#4,6225#492157
1941#4,4205#446174
1940#471150
1939#488139
1938#487141
1937#3,8006#481139
1936#450156
1935#456156
1934#450156
1933#448153
1932#501131
1931#491137
1930#4,5505#466162
1929#4,0536#461163
1928#471168
1927#478162
1926#453179
1925#467165
1924#478168
1923#4,9675#465174
1922#482163
1921#489160
1920#472166
1919#421194
1918#450174
1917#488139
1916#436166
1915#461142
1914#483101
1913#43297
1912#41887
1911#42047
1910#31163
1909#33049
1908#34942
1907#34140
1906#34237
1905#35534
1904#35432
1903#35729
1902#31737
1901#32530
1900#28453
1899#29435
1898#29839
1897#26344
1896#29639
1895#25749
1894#28538
1893#28736
1892#29239
1891#31828
1890#27539
1889#24444
1888#28937
1887#23946
1886#27239
1885#20958
1884#25147
1883#23745
1882#22254
1881#22247
1880#26241
First appearance
1923

The first year at least five girls were named Riley! It came in at #4,967, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1923–1928, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Riley is popular in 1986

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedNHWashington: #610 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,534 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedMNIllinois: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedWIMichigan: #858 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 9,421 girlsMINew York: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedRIOregon: #363 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,193 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedINOhio: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #1,467 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 17,308 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedNEMissouri: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedARTennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedHITexas: fewer than 5 girls named Riley, so not publishedTXFlorida: #1,079 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 11,072 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Oregon#363 · 1 in 2,193
  2. Washington#610 · 1 in 4,534
  3. Michigan#858 · 1 in 9,421
  4. Florida#1,079 · 1 in 11,072
  5. California#1,467 · 1 in 17,308

Best ever in a state: #6 in Hawaii, 2016.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oregon#36371 in 2,193
Washington#61061 in 4,534
Michigan#85861 in 9,421
Florida#1,07961 in 11,072
California#1,467121 in 17,308
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Riley
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 6 spots since 2024 (#42#48)
  • 15 spots since 2020 (#33#48)
  • 13 spots since 2015 (#35#48)
  • Biggest jump: 192 spots in 1990 (#1,014#822)
  • Biggest drop: 7 spots in 2011 (#40#47)
Rise & fade · girls
93 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1923
  • Peaked 2016 at #22 (7,159 births)
  • Not yet halved from its peak
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 24 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 24 yrs · run 2002–2025
  • Top 1,000: 36 yrs · run 1990–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 248
  • Highest: 1 in 248 girls born in 2016 were named Riley (0.40%)
  • Latest: 1 in 362 girls born in 2025 (0.28%)
Era · girls
The 2010s
  • 39.6% of all girls named Riley (56,150) were born in this decade
Girls or boys?
Flipped in 2003
  • Mostly boys until 2002, mostly girls since
all girlsall boys
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1920s11#4,053 (1929)#4,510
1930s11#3,800 (1937)#4,175
1940s21#4,420 (1941)#4,624
1950s18#4,483 (1952)#5,091
1960s11#5,817 (1965)#6,417
1970s72#4,420 (1979)#5,803
1980s680#1,014 (1989)#2,304
1990s10,234#138 (1999)#393
2000s45,533#38 (2009)#68
2010s56,150#22 (2016)#37
2020s29,219#33 (2020)#40

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Riley in 1986

girls
#1,327
99 births · 1 in 17,329 girls
boys
#431
403 births · 1 in 4,570 boys

Top girls' names in 1986

  1. #1Jessica52,682
  2. #2Ashley49,671
  3. #3Amanda40,532
  4. #4Jennifer36,187
  5. #5Sarah28,163
  6. #6Stephanie22,651
  7. #7Nicole21,292
  8. #8Brittany20,313
  9. #9Heather19,790
  10. #10Elizabeth19,074
  11. #1,327Riley99

Top boys' names in 1986

  1. #1Michael64,235
  2. #2Christopher56,693
  3. #3Matthew46,929
  4. #4Joshua37,542
  5. #5David37,150
  6. #6Daniel36,573
  7. #7James34,057
  8. #8Andrew33,858
  9. #9Robert31,350
  10. #10John30,209
  11. #431Riley403
More about 1986

girls

1,715,547 girls got a published name in 1986; 1 in 17,329 of them was named Riley, which outranked 89.7% of the 12,836 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Riley
  1. #1,314Suzette101
  2. #1,325Adria100
  3. #1,325Mariam100
  4. #1,327Riley99
  5. #1,327Alexandrea99
  6. #1,327Aracely99
  7. #1,327Ariane99
  8. #1,343Cassey98
  9. #1,343Shanon98
  10. #1,343Trinity98

Tied with 15 names at #1,327; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
  1. 9,719Kyrie#10,677#958
  2. 4,778Sable#5,678#900
  3. 2,034Eliana#2,484#450
  4. 1,497Shatara#2,484#987
  5. 1,374Cherrelle#2,253#879
Fallers
  1. 442Violeta#963#1,405
  2. 361Micaela#545#906
  3. 361Tasia#572#933
  4. 324Jo#925#1,249
  5. 306Tammie#987#1,293

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,841,515 boys got a published name in 1986; 1 in 4,570 of them was named Riley, which outranked 94.5% of the 7,830 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Riley
  1. #428Owen408
  2. #429Fredrick405
  3. #429Guillermo405
  4. #431Riley403
  5. #432Marlon402
  6. #433Nathanael394
  7. #434Cornelius391
Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
  1. 1,279Spenser#2,226#947
  2. 920Jayce#1,614#694
  3. 714Addison#1,228#514
  4. 649Payton#1,614#965
  5. 573Cordell#1,181#608
Fallers
  1. 409Ulises#877#1,286
  2. 365Eliot#934#1,299
  3. 322Jordy#998#1,320
  4. 313Trace#956#1,269
  5. 292Kennith#963#1,255

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1986