Ailey
Girl name · #5177 in 2025 · Uniqueness 78/100
Ailey ranks #5177 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 25 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3177, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 72,000 girls born in 2025 was named Ailey.
The 33-year story
Ailey first appears in the Social Security records in 1992, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2008, when 71 girls were named Ailey — good for #2609 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Ailey per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ailey against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ailey in class?
Ailey scores 78 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Ailey will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ailey is most common
State-level data for Ailey is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Ailey
Statistically, parents drawn to Ailey tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aisley, Makinley, Briley, Ryley, and Amery.
AisleyMakinleyBrileyRyleyAmeryArleyPaizleyAnsley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ailey | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #5099 |
| 2024 | 23 | #5443 |
| 2023 | 16 | #6922 |
| 2022 | 24 | #5309 |
| 2021 | 26 | #4964 |
| 2020 | 24 | #5168 |
| 2019 | 40 | #3718 |
| 2018 | 42 | #3614 |
| 2017 | 25 | #5191 |
| 2016 | 61 | #2798 |
| 2015 | 52 | #3177 |
| 2014 | 45 | #3486 |
| 2013 | 54 | #3042 |
| 2012 | 54 | #3094 |
| 2011 | 60 | #2868 |
| 2010 | 66 | #2691 |
| 2009 | 70 | #2614 |
| 2008 | 71 | #2609 |
| 2007 | 41 | #3848 |
| 2006 | 31 | #4576 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6245 |
| 2004 | 19 | #6216 |
| 2003 | 16 | #6885 |
| 2002 | 14 | #7444 |
| 2001 | 11 | #8758 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ailey a popular girl name?
Ailey ranked #5177 among girls in 2025 with 25 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3177.
When was the name Ailey most popular?
Ailey peaked in 2008, when 71 American girls received the name (ranked #2609 that year). Since 2008 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ailey?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 72,000 newborn American girls was named Ailey. It scores 78/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.