Riley (given name) explained
| Riley |
| Gender: | Unisex |
| Language origin: | Old English, Irish |
| Related Names: | Reilly, Rileigh, Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie |
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, which originated from the Irish name Raghallach, of unknown meaning. [3]
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.[4]
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.[5] [6]
Notable people with the given name include
A
B
- Riley Barber (born 1994), American ice hockey player
- Riley Bartholomew (1807–1894), American politician and pioneer
- Riley Baugus, American guitarist
- Riley P. Bechtel (born 1952), American businessman
- Riley A. Bender (1890–1973), American businessman and politician
- Riley Bidois (born 2002), New Zealand footballer
- Riley Biggs (1900–1971), American football player
- Riley Black, American paleontologist
- Riley Bonner (born 1997), Australian rules footballer
- Riley Breckenridge (born 1975), American musician
- Riley Brett (1895–1982), American race car driver
- Riley Brockington (born 1975), Canadian politician
- Riley Brown (born 1984), Australian rugby union footballer
- Riley Bullough (born 1993), American football player
C
D
E
F
G
H
- Riley Harbottle (born 2000), English footballer
- Riley Hatch (1862–1925), American singer
- Riley Hawk (born 1992), American skateboarder
- Riley Hekure (born 1994), Papua New Guinean cricketer
- Riley Herbst (born 1999), American stock car racing driver
- Riley Hern (1878–1929), Canadian ice hockey player
- Riley Higgins (born 2002), New Zealand rugby union footballer
- Riley Hill (actor) (1914–1993), American actor
- Riley Hohepa (born 1995), New Zealand rugby union footballer
- Riley Holzapfel (born 1988), Canadian ice hockey player
- Riley Hoover (born 1998), Guamanian-American footballer
- Riley D. Housewright (1913–2003), American microbiologist
I
J
K
L
M
- Riley Mahlman (born 2002), American football player
- Riley Mants (born 1978), Canadian swimmer
- Riley Martin (1946–2015), American author
- Riley Matheson (1914–1987), American football player
- Riley Mattson (born 1938), American football player
- Riley McCarron (born 1993), American football player
- Riley McCormick (born 1991), Canadian diver
- Riley McCusker (born 2001), American artistic gymnast
- Riley McGovern (born 1991), American soccer player
- Riley McGree (born 1998), Australian footballer
- Riley Melanson (born 1999), Canadian kayaker
- Riley Meredith (born 1996), Australian cricketer
- Riley Carter Millington (born 1993/1994), English actor
- Riley Milne (born 1990), Australian rules footballer
- Riley Montana (born 1990), American fashion model
- Riley Moore (born 1980/1981), American politician
- Riley Morris (1935–2017), American football player
- Riley Moss (born 2000), American football player
N
O
P
R
S
- Riley Salmon (born 1976), American volleyball player
- Riley Schillaci (born 1982), American performance artist
- Riley Senft (born 1979), Canadian humanitarian
- Riley Sheahan (born 1991), Canadian ice hockey player
- Riley Sheehan (born 2000), American cyclist
- Riley Shepard (1918–2009), American musician
- Riley Skinner (born 1986), American football player
- Riley Smith (born 1978), American actor
- Riley Smith (American football) (1911–1999), American football player
- Riley Stearns (born 1986), American filmmaker
- Riley Steele (born 1987), American pornographic actress
- Riley Stewart (1919–2000), American baseball player
- Riley Stillman (born 1998), Canadian ice hockey player
- Riley E. Stratton (1823–1866), American attorney
- Riley Swanson (born 1984), American attorney
T
U
V
W
- Riley Wallace (born 1941), American basketball coach
- Riley "Special" Wallace (born 1983), Canadian musician
- Riley Wang (born 1996), Canadian-Taiwanese actor
- Riley Ware (born 1962), American football player
- Riley Warland (born 2002), Australian footballer
- Riley Watson (1859–1915), English doctor
- Riley Weselowski (born 1985), Canadian ice hockey player
- Riley Weston (born 1966), American actress
- Riley J. Wilson (1871–1946), American attorney and legislator
- Riley Woodcock (born 1995), Australian footballer
Y
Fictional characters
- Riley Abel, a character in the video game The Last of Us: Left Behind
- Riley Andersen, a character in the film Inside Out
- Riley Biers, a character in the novel series The Twilight Saga
- Riley Blue, a character in the Netflix series Sense8
- Riley Daring, a character in The Replacements
- Riley Dawson, character in the television series
- Riley Finn, character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Riley Freeman, character in the animated television series The Boondocks
- Riley Griffin, a character in Power Rangers Dino Charge.
- Riley Matthews, a character in the Disney Channel spinoff series Girl Meets World
- Riley Parker, a character in Neighbours
- Riley Valdor, a character in the game Timecrest
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Riley - given name origin.
- Book: Hanks. Patrick. Hardcastle. Kate . Hodges. Flavia. 2006. Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press . 231. 0-19-861060-2.
- Book: Hanks. Patrick. Hardcastle. Kate . Hodges. Flavia. 2006. Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press . 231. 0-19-861060-2.
- News: Sep 20, 2017. Olivia and Oliver were 2016's top baby names in England and Wales. The Guardian . www.theguardian.com. Aug 12, 2019 . Busby . Mattha .
- Web site: Popular Baby Names.
- Web site: Haileigh and Beighleigh and Paisleigh, oh my! . Rauwerda . Anne . 10 November 2021 . michigandaily.com . Michigan Daily . 10 January 2023 .
