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At a Glance: Name: Riley – Meaning: a rye clearing or meadow (English); separately, an anglicized form of the Irish surname Reilly – Origin: English (also anglicized Irish surname 'Reilly') – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: RY-lee
Riley is a neutral name with English roots, literally meaning "a rye clearing or meadow" — it's also used as an anglicized form of the Irish surname Reilly. You'll often see Riley described as meaning "valiant" or "courageous," but that gloss actually comes from disputed readings of the Reilly surname, not the more solidly documented English meaning; the two origins get conflated. It's pronounced RY-lee.
Meaning & Origin of Riley
Meaning: A rye clearing or meadow (english); separately, an anglicized form of the irish surname reilly.
Origin: English (also anglicized Irish surname 'Reilly').
A common claim: Riley is widely said to mean 'valiant' or 'courageous.' Actually: That gloss comes from disputed readings of the Irish surname Reilly's root, not the more solidly documented English strand ('rye clearing') — the two origins are often wrongly conflated.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Riley
Phonetic: RY-lee IPA: /ˈraɪli/
Popularity of Riley
Riley peaked at #22 in 2016 with 7,159 babies given the name, and by 2024 it had settled to #42 with 4,644 — still solidly in use, just past its high point.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Riley Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Riley, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Riley mean?
A rye clearing or meadow (english); separately, an anglicized form of the irish surname reilly. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Riley)
How do you pronounce Riley?
Riley is pronounced RY-lee (IPA: /ˈraɪli/).
Is Riley a popular name right now?
Riley peaked at #22 in 2016 and is ranked #42 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Riley? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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