Riley
Boy name · #207 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Riley? In official American birth records, Riley has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Riley is currently the #207 boy name in the United States — 1,666 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #194, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,080 boys born in 2025 was named Riley.
The 145-year story
Riley first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 41 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2006, when 4,396 boys were named Riley — good for #101 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 Riley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Riley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Riley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Riley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Riley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Riley is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Riley is most common in ME (3.6 per 1,000), MS (3.2 per 1,000), AR (2.1 per 1,000), CT (1.8 per 1,000), OK (1.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Riley is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Riley
Statistically, parents drawn to Riley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Brady, Chase, Kaleb, Caden, and Oscar.
BradyChaseKalebCadenOscarDiegoHaydenCole
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Riley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,666 | #207 |
| 2024 | 1,573 | #229 |
| 2023 | 1,632 | #223 |
| 2022 | 1,600 | #225 |
| 2021 | 1,452 | #245 |
| 2020 | 1,368 | #257 |
| 2019 | 1,374 | #263 |
| 2018 | 1,470 | #250 |
| 2017 | 1,471 | #252 |
| 2016 | 1,728 | #224 |
| 2015 | 2,094 | #194 |
| 2014 | 2,448 | #174 |
| 2013 | 2,559 | #157 |
| 2012 | 2,890 | #133 |
| 2011 | 3,462 | #111 |
| 2010 | 3,649 | #105 |
| 2009 | 3,791 | #107 |
| 2008 | 4,132 | #106 |
| 2007 | 3,973 | #109 |
| 2006 | 4,396 | #101 |
| 2005 | 4,110 | #106 |
| 2004 | 4,110 | #106 |
| 2003 | 4,077 | #104 |
| 2002 | 3,959 | #99 |
| 2001 | 3,653 | #105 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Riley?
In official American birth records, the name Riley first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 41 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Riley a popular boy name?
Riley ranked #207 among boys in 2025 with 1,666 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #194.
When was the name Riley most popular?
Riley peaked in 2006, when 4,396 American boys received the name (ranked #101 that year). Since 2006 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Riley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,080 newborn American boys was named Riley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.