Riley
RYE-lee /ˈraɪ.li/
Meaning of Riley
Riley is the anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Raghallaigh — 'descendant of Raghallach,' a personal name combining rí ('king') and ceallach ('war, contention'), giving the overall sense of 'valiant' or 'courageous.' Riley migrated from Irish-American surname to first name in the late 20th century and is now in the top-50 for both boys and girls in the US — one of the most genuinely popular gender-neutral names.
Current popularity of Riley
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #43 |
Notable bearers of Riley
Riley Freeman (The Boondocks); Riley Blue (Sense8).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Riley — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31