Harley
Boy name · #1081 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Harley? In official American birth records, Harley has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Harley ranks #1081 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 199 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #653, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,045 boys born in 2025 was named Harley.
The 145-year story
Harley first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 70 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1994, when 789 boys were named Harley — good for #322 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 Harley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Harley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Harley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Harley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Harley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Harley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Harley is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Harley is most common in OK (0.6 per 1,000), OH (0.2 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Harley is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Harley
Statistically, parents drawn to Harley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Trey, Kasey, Bailey, Hernan, and Kody.
TreyKaseyBaileyHernanKodyDarianDuncanPresley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Harley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 199 | #1081 |
| 2024 | 219 | #1019 |
| 2023 | 221 | #997 |
| 2022 | 253 | #913 |
| 2021 | 247 | #920 |
| 2020 | 300 | #781 |
| 2019 | 286 | #802 |
| 2018 | 300 | #772 |
| 2017 | 401 | #646 |
| 2016 | 379 | #674 |
| 2015 | 395 | #653 |
| 2014 | 411 | #639 |
| 2013 | 403 | #616 |
| 2012 | 384 | #632 |
| 2011 | 370 | #632 |
| 2010 | 449 | #563 |
| 2009 | 465 | #568 |
| 2008 | 422 | #595 |
| 2007 | 419 | #600 |
| 2006 | 498 | #518 |
| 2005 | 487 | #505 |
| 2004 | 560 | #461 |
| 2003 | 615 | #417 |
| 2002 | 581 | #428 |
| 2001 | 529 | #458 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Harley?
In official American birth records, the name Harley first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 70 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Harley a popular boy name?
Harley ranked #1081 among boys in 2025 with 199 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #653.
When was the name Harley most popular?
Harley peaked in 1994, when 789 American boys received the name (ranked #322 that year). Since 1994 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Harley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,045 newborn American boys was named Harley. 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.