Riley is a transferred use of an English surname derived from
Old English ryge ‘rye’ + lēah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’.[1][2]
It is also derived from the Irish surname
O'Reilly, [3] which originated from the Irish name Raghallach, of unknown meaning. [4]
Regional variations
Europe
In the United Kingdom, it is still primarily a boy's name, and was the 40th most popular name for boys in 2016.[5]
United States
Until the 1990s and early 2000s, Riley was primarily a boy's name in the United States. However, it has become a popular name for girls in the United States and remains in wide use there for girls, with many variant spellings also in use, including Reiley, Reilly, Reily, Rhilee, Rhiley, Rhylee, Rhylei, Rhyleigh, Rhyley, Rhyli, Rhylie, Rielee, Rilee, Rileigh, Rilie, Ryelee, Rylea, Rylee, Rylei, Ryleigh, Ryley, Ryli, Rylie, Ryliee, and Ryliegh. It also remains a well-used name there for boys, also with variant spellings.[6][7]
This page or section lists people that share the same
given name. If an
internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.
Riley is a transferred use of an English surname derived from
Old English ryge ‘rye’ + lēah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’.[1][2]
It is also derived from the Irish surname
O'Reilly, [3] which originated from the Irish name Raghallach, of unknown meaning. [4]
Regional variations
Europe
In the United Kingdom, it is still primarily a boy's name, and was the 40th most popular name for boys in 2016.[5]
United States
Until the 1990s and early 2000s, Riley was primarily a boy's name in the United States. However, it has become a popular name for girls in the United States and remains in wide use there for girls, with many variant spellings also in use, including Reiley, Reilly, Reily, Rhilee, Rhiley, Rhylee, Rhylei, Rhyleigh, Rhyley, Rhyli, Rhylie, Rielee, Rilee, Rileigh, Rilie, Ryelee, Rylea, Rylee, Rylei, Ryleigh, Ryley, Ryli, Rylie, Ryliee, and Ryliegh. It also remains a well-used name there for boys, also with variant spellings.[6][7]
This page or section lists people that share the same
given name. If an
internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.