Whitley
Girl name · #677 in 2025 · Uniqueness 41/100
In 2025, 420 baby girls were named Whitley, placing it at #677 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1139, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,286 girls born in 2025 was named Whitley.
The 41-year story
Whitley first appears in the Social Security records in 1984, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1988, when 508 girls were named Whitley — good for #446 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 Whitley per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Whitley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Whitley in class?
Whitley scores 41 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Whitley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Whitley is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Whitleys were TX (61), MO (33), TN (29), GA (26), OK (26). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Whitley
Statistically, parents drawn to Whitley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Arielle, Cecily, Kacey, Hayley, and Whitney.
ArielleCecilyKaceyHayleyWhitneyKelseyMarleyBritney
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Whitley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 420 | #675 |
| 2024 | 417 | #684 |
| 2023 | 383 | #735 |
| 2022 | 316 | #880 |
| 2021 | 320 | #855 |
| 2020 | 271 | #946 |
| 2019 | 281 | #939 |
| 2018 | 262 | #998 |
| 2017 | 258 | #1005 |
| 2016 | 251 | #1047 |
| 2015 | 222 | #1139 |
| 2014 | 197 | #1235 |
| 2013 | 170 | #1371 |
| 2012 | 157 | #1452 |
| 2011 | 156 | #1446 |
| 2010 | 121 | #1720 |
| 2009 | 106 | #1956 |
| 2008 | 75 | #2511 |
| 2007 | 75 | #2485 |
| 2006 | 81 | #2328 |
| 2005 | 82 | #2225 |
| 2004 | 92 | #1999 |
| 2003 | 83 | #2106 |
| 2002 | 99 | #1805 |
| 2001 | 90 | #1922 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Whitley a popular girl name?
Whitley ranked #677 among girls in 2025 with 420 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1139.
When was the name Whitley most popular?
Whitley peaked in 1988, when 508 American girls received the name (ranked #446 that year). Since 1988 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Whitley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,286 newborn American girls was named Whitley. It scores 41/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.