Halley
Girl name · #3522 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Halley? In official American birth records, Halley has been tracked continuously since 1910, giving it 115 years of documented American history.
Halley ranks #3522 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 43 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3595, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 41,860 girls born in 2025 was named Halley.
Babies named Halley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 115-year story
Halley first appears in the Social Security records in 1910, when 11 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1986, when 333 girls were named Halley — good for #580 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Halley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Halley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Halley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Halley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Halley is most common
State-level data for Halley 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 Halley
Statistically, parents drawn to Halley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Holley, Hayley, Carley, Kayley, and Kaley.
HolleyHayleyCarleyKayleyKaleyBayleyKarleyKourtney
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Halley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 43 | #3517 |
| 2024 | 63 | #2722 |
| 2023 | 49 | #3274 |
| 2022 | 47 | #3365 |
| 2021 | 37 | #3935 |
| 2020 | 35 | #4005 |
| 2019 | 43 | #3552 |
| 2018 | 40 | #3739 |
| 2017 | 42 | #3627 |
| 2016 | 32 | #4423 |
| 2015 | 43 | #3595 |
| 2014 | 41 | #3719 |
| 2013 | 47 | #3367 |
| 2012 | 52 | #3169 |
| 2011 | 51 | #3222 |
| 2010 | 59 | #2906 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2852 |
| 2008 | 82 | #2354 |
| 2007 | 78 | #2418 |
| 2006 | 94 | #2081 |
| 2005 | 92 | #2030 |
| 2004 | 113 | #1714 |
| 2003 | 142 | #1395 |
| 2002 | 122 | #1548 |
| 2001 | 146 | #1311 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Halley?
In official American birth records, the name Halley first appeared in 1910 (over 115 years ago), when 11 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 115 years.
Is Halley a popular girl name?
Halley ranked #3522 among girls in 2025 with 43 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3595.
When was the name Halley most popular?
Halley peaked in 1986, when 333 American girls received the name (ranked #580 that year). Since 1986 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Halley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 41,860 newborn American girls was named Halley. 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.