Name Riley
Riley is a unisex name with Irish origins. It is considered a ubiquitous name that has experienced moderate growth in popularity recently.
Meaning of the name Riley
Origins and Core Meaning
The name Riley is of Irish origin, and means "brave" or "valiant". It is a unisex name, and is popular for both boys and girls. Riley is a strong and independent name, and is often associated with leadership and courage.
Detailed Insights on Riley
Origins
Symbolic Representation
The name Riley is associated with the symbolism of the lion. Lions are known for their strength, courage, and leadership, and these are all qualities that are often associated with the name Riley.
Personality Traits
The name Riley evokes feelings of strength, courage, and independence. It is a name that is often associated with leadership and authority, and is a good choice for a child who is likely to be a leader in life.
Key Personality Traits
Personal Meanings of the Name Riley
Riley Overview & Analysis
Gender statistics
Riley is considered a unisex name. Among 281,859 people named Riley, 150,113 are male and 131,746 are female. The nearly equal gender distribution of 53.3% male and 46.7% female, reflecting its broad appeal across genders.
Data Explanation
This data is sourced from actual birth records, ensuring that the statistics provided are accurate reflections of real naming trends. The percentage has been rounded up for easier readability, but the underlying figures are grounded in factual data, not estimates. This ensures that the information is both reliable and user-friendly, giving a clear and truthful picture of the name Riley's gender association.
Popularity
Riley classified as an ubiquitous name and ranks 291 in the Namedary database. It has experienced moderate growth over the years, and experienced moderate growth recently. The chance of meeting someone named Riley is nearly 0.08%, or about one in 1,000+ people.
Based on the latest data from 2021 (48), 2022 (14), 2023 (11), Riley's year-to-year percentage change in popularity is -2.79%. The name Riley was most popular in 2008, making up 0.3% of baby names (or about one in 300+ babies), and reached its lowest point in 1911 with a usage rate of 0.0003%.
Country-Specific Prevalence
| Flag | Country | Rank | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 99 | 0.22% | |
| Canada | 107 | 0.17% | |
| Australia | 143 | 0.2% | |
| New Zealand | 265 | 0.11% | |
| United States | 340 | 0.07% |
People named Riley are predominantly found in United Kingdom (UK), particularly in East Wales (EW), where it makes up 0.24% of the population.
Data Source
The data in this section was gathered from a variety of sources, including:
- United States: Social Security Administration (https://www.ssa.gov/)
- Canada: Government of Ontario (https://data.ontario.ca/). Alberta’s top baby names (https://www.alberta.ca/). B.C.'s Most Popular Baby Names (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/)
- United Kingdom: Office for National Statistics (https://www.ons.gov.uk/)
- Australia: Government of South Australia (https://data.sa.gov.au/). Government of New South Wales (https://www.nsw.gov.au/). Northern Territory Government (https://nt.gov.au/)
- New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (https://www.data.govt.nz/)
- Supplemental Sources: To enrich our data-driven approach, we supplement our primary sources with information from credible websites, academic publications, and expert opinions. This ensures that we provide a well-rounded perspective on baby names.
To enhance readability, percentages are rounded up. Values less than 0.0015% have been omitted.
Additional Information on Riley
Pronunciation and Phonetics
- Name
- Riley
- Pronunciation
- Ri-ley
- riley
- RIGH-lee
- rahy-lee
- ri-ley
- IPA Notation
- ɹajˈli
- Syllable
- Stressed:ri-ley
- Syllable Count:2 Syllables
Chinese Translation of the Name Riley
- Translation
- 赖利
- Pronunce
- (PinYin) : lài lì
- Feng Shui
- 赖Fire利Fire
Riley in Numerology
| R | I | L | E | Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 5 | 7 | ||
| 9 | 3 |
Applying the rules of numerology (Pythagorean numerology):
Riley's Soul Number (Heart's Desire Number): Number 3
- You derive satisfaction from your passion for creativity and disrupting limits and conventional ways.
- You desire joy and happiness for yourself and others. You believe that life is meant to be fun, so live it to the fullest.
- You are motivated by people, conversation, laughter, entertainment, and art.
Riley's Expression Number (Personality Number): Number 3
- You bring joy and laughter to those around you.
- You live happily and are the life of the party.
- You are intelligent, quick-witted, and have a bright appearance.
Riley's Destiny Number (Life Path Number): Number 6
- You are emotional, domestic, responsible, loyal, and sympathetic.
- You exude a deep well of love and are always willing to help those in need, offering support and care whenever necessary.
- You idealize love and strive to spread it to everyone, everywhere, and beyond.
Famous People Named Riley
- Riley Curry (daughter of NBA star Stephen Curry)
- Riley Keough (actress and granddaughter of Elvis Presley)
- Riley Green (country music singer)
User-Submitted Information about Riley
Kimetther9
As this website clearly shows in the popularity chart, Riley was a boy’s name from the earliest recorded usage (1880s). It only got hijacked by the girls fairly recently, in 1990.
Gatinhaa_007
Riley is a GIRL name.
Sadynper0
I've seen this name become a popular "unisex name" for girls in the last decade. I have known male dogs with the name Riley my entire life (including my own childhood dog). If you're considering it for a human, without it being a family name I do think it is worth considering if the association with a popular pet name bothers you.
If you haven't heard it as a pet name I would recommend a quick google because it definitely has been a top 20 for dogs for longer than it has been trending for little girls. Yes, plenty of dogs have human names but this name has historically trended higher on pet name lists than human name lists, where many other names that have been used for pets and people outpaces the use in pets.
Conclusion
The name Riley is a strong and independent name that is perfect for a child who is likely to be a leader in life. It is a name that is associated with courage, strength, and independence, and is a good choice for a child who is likely to be a success.
Kerrtor8
Like for a girl! Dislike for a boy!
Dead_gene
This is the only spelling that I like. It's cool that it's a Unisex name.
Hekkert
I really like the name Riley. I think it's a beautiful name for either gender. It sounds soft, gentle and playful yet strong and unwavering at the same time. I love the alternative spellings (such as Reilley, Reilly, Rilee, Rylea, Ryleah, Rylee, Rylie, Ryleigh, etc.). I also think the name ages pretty well, and I can easily see it “suiting” many different personalities. Frankly, I especially like the fact that it's unisex because I love the idea of a person growing up to meet people of both genders who share their name, and not having to feel pressured by gender expectations. Of course, you don't have to give your child a unisex name to raise them that way, but I personally think that unisex names are a great way to express it.
Overall, I think Riley is a wonderful name.