Holley
Girl name · #3725 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Holley? In official American birth records, Holley has been tracked continuously since 1937, giving it 88 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 40 baby girls were named Holley, placing it at #3725 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3299, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 45,000 girls born in 2025 was named Holley.
Babies named Holley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 88-year story
Holley first appears in the Social Security records in 1937, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1984, when 108 girls were named Holley — good for #1205 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Holley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Holley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Holley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Holley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Holley is most common
State-level data for Holley 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 Holley
Statistically, parents drawn to Holley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lesley, Halley, Hollie, Adrian, and Michal.
LesleyHalleyHollieAdrianMichalEliciaHayleyCarley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Holley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40 | #3712 |
| 2024 | 33 | #4294 |
| 2023 | 44 | #3525 |
| 2022 | 39 | #3827 |
| 2021 | 47 | #3339 |
| 2020 | 47 | #3281 |
| 2019 | 44 | #3499 |
| 2018 | 47 | #3346 |
| 2017 | 41 | #3697 |
| 2016 | 43 | #3588 |
| 2015 | 49 | #3299 |
| 2014 | 51 | #3184 |
| 2013 | 48 | #3314 |
| 2012 | 52 | #3169 |
| 2011 | 46 | #3452 |
| 2010 | 42 | #3689 |
| 2009 | 68 | #2672 |
| 2008 | 45 | #3584 |
| 2007 | 58 | #3023 |
| 2006 | 42 | #3669 |
| 2005 | 39 | #3730 |
| 2004 | 61 | #2679 |
| 2003 | 60 | #2638 |
| 2002 | 59 | #2605 |
| 2001 | 65 | #2411 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Holley?
In official American birth records, the name Holley first appeared in 1937 (over 88 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 88 years.
Is Holley a popular girl name?
Holley ranked #3725 among girls in 2025 with 40 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3299.
When was the name Holley most popular?
Holley peaked in 1984, when 108 American girls received the name (ranked #1205 that year). Since 1984 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Holley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 45,000 newborn American girls was named Holley. 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.