Carley
Girl name · #2726 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Carley? In official American birth records, Carley has been tracked continuously since 1921, giving it 104 years of documented American history.
Carley ranks #2726 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 63 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1106, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,571 girls born in 2025 was named Carley.
The 104-year story
Carley first appears in the Social Security records in 1921, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1998, when 713 girls were named Carley — good for #389 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 Carley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Carley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Carley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Carley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Carley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Carley is most common
State-level data for Carley is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Carley
Statistically, parents drawn to Carley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kayley, Karley, Kaley, Bayley, and Hayley.
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Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Carley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63 | #2719 |
| 2024 | 53 | #3047 |
| 2023 | 62 | #2757 |
| 2022 | 86 | #2193 |
| 2021 | 123 | #1680 |
| 2020 | 108 | #1818 |
| 2019 | 134 | #1585 |
| 2018 | 151 | #1451 |
| 2017 | 147 | #1505 |
| 2016 | 171 | #1371 |
| 2015 | 234 | #1106 |
| 2014 | 237 | #1079 |
| 2013 | 293 | #882 |
| 2012 | 272 | #939 |
| 2011 | 291 | #896 |
| 2010 | 360 | #757 |
| 2009 | 402 | #720 |
| 2008 | 489 | #632 |
| 2007 | 563 | #546 |
| 2006 | 533 | #552 |
| 2005 | 628 | #486 |
| 2004 | 567 | #511 |
| 2003 | 537 | #525 |
| 2002 | 572 | #488 |
| 2001 | 607 | #456 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Carley?
In official American birth records, the name Carley first appeared in 1921 (over 104 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 104 years.
Is Carley a popular girl name?
Carley ranked #2726 among girls in 2025 with 63 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1106.
When was the name Carley most popular?
Carley peaked in 1998, when 713 American girls received the name (ranked #389 that year). Since 1998 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Carley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,571 newborn American girls was named Carley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.