Riley
Riley was the number 80 most popular boys' name in England and Wales in 2024, given to 685 babies that year, according to the Office for National Statistics. As general background, Riley is usually said to be of Irish or English origin, meaning from a surname, variously read as valiant or a rye clearing. The popularity figures are the real ONS count and rank; the meaning is widely attested etymology, not a claim about any individual.
Riley in the ONS data
| ONS rank (2024, England and Wales) | 80 of the boys' names |
| Babies given this name (2024) | 685 |
| Registered as a | boy's name |
Source: ONS Baby names in England and Wales, 2024 edition, released 2025-07-31. Accessed 2026-06-14. The rank and count are the real ONS figures for England and Wales. Refreshed each year on the ONS release.
What Riley means
Riley is usually described as a name of Irish or English origin, meaning from a surname, variously read as valiant or a rye clearing. This is general etymological background drawn from established naming reference works. It describes the name's history and is not a claim about any individual who carries it.
Meanings and origins are general background, not ONS data and not advice.
Nearby in the boys' ranking
- 79. Elias
- 80. Riley
- 81. Alfred
Editor, BabyData
Oliver Mackman is the named editor of BabyData and a director of Best Business Loans Ltd (Companies House 16833937), the company that operates the site. He is accountable for its editorial standards, sourcing and corrections, and requires every number to cite the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind it, with pregnancy tools reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.
Last reviewed: 12 June 2026