Riley (given name)
Riley is a unisex given name, which first appeared as Raghallach, which was originated on a man who died in the Battle of Clontarf. Its source gives its meaning as "valiant".[1] Meaning "Valiant, Courageous, Lively, Brave, rye clearing" Oxford definition: Noun. "a luxurious or carefree existence."
| Pronunciation | /ˈraɪli/ RY-lee |
|---|---|
| Gender | unisex |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Irish Gaelic |
| Meaning | "Valiant, Courageous, Lively, Brave, Fiery, rye clearing" Oxford Dictionary: Noun. "a luxurious or carefree existence" |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Rylee, Ryleigh, Rylie, Reilly, Reily, Rheilly, Rilie |
Until the 1990s and early 2000s, Riley in the United States was primarily a boy's name. However in 2017, it was the 25th most popular girl's name, and the 253th most popular boy's name.[2] In the UK, Riley is primarily a boy's name, being the fortieth most popular name given to baby boys in 2016.[3]
The surname's first variant is Ó Raghallaigh (Descendant of/Of Raghallach) which was later adapted in English as O'Reilly which itself has been anglicised into "Reilly". The surname "Riley" is a translated version of Reilly; which evolved over time. It currently is #8 in England and Wales, #9 in Northern Ireland, #15 in Scotland, #30 in Australia and New Zealand, #64 in Canada, and #198 in the Netherlands.
People with first name "Riley"
- Riley Armstrong (ice hockey) (1984–)
- Riley Armstrong (musician) (1976–)
- Riley P. Bechtel (1952–), American businessman
- Riley A. Bender (1890–1973), American businessman and politician
- Riley Biggs (1900–1971), American football player
- Riley Breckenridge (1975–), American musician
- Riley Brett (1895–1982), American race car driver
- Riley Chamberlin (1852–1917), American silent film actor
- Riley Cooper (1987–) American football player
- Riley Cote (1982–) , Canadian ice hockey player
- Riley Darnell (1940–), American Secretary of State of Tennessee
- Riley Dolezal (born 1985), American javelin thrower
- Riley Ferguson (1995–), American football player
- Riley Gardner (1921–2007), American psychologist
- Riley Keough (born 1989), American actress and model
- Riley B. King (B.B. King) (1925–2015), American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter
- Riley Knight (1995–), Australian rules football player
- Riley Martin (1946–2015), American author
- Riley Matheson (1914–1987), American football player
- Riley Mattson (1938–), American football player
- Riley McCusker (2001–), American gymnast
- Riley Franklin McConnell (1884–1940), American recipient of the Navy Cross
- Riley Nash (1989–), Canadian ice hockey player
- Riley Dobi Noel (1972–2004), American murderer
- Riley O'Neill (1985–), Canadian soccer player
- Riley Odoms (1950–), American football player
- Riley L. Pitts (1937–1967), first African-American officer to be awarded the Medal of Honor
- Riley Puckett (1894–1946), American musician
- Riley Reid (1991–), American pornographic actress
- Riley Reiff (1988–), American football player
- Riley Ridley (born 1996), American football player
- Riley Salmon (1976–), American volleyball player
- Riley Skinner (1986–), American college football player
- Riley Smith (born 1978), American actor
- Riley Smith (American football) (1911–1999)
- Riley E. Stratton (1823–1866), American attorney and judge
- Riley Swanson (born 1984), American attorney and judge
- Riley Thomson (1912–1960), American animator
- Riley Voelkel (born 1990), American actress
- Riley Wallace (born 1941), American basketball coach
- Riley Ware (born 1962), American football player
- Riley J. Wilson (1871–1946), American attorney and legislator
Fictional characters
- Riley Andersen, character from Disney Pixar's Inside Out.
- Riley Biers, a character in the Twilight books
- Riley Dawson, character in the television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
- Riley Finn, character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Riley Freeman, character in the animated television series The Boondocks
- Riley Parker, a character on Neighbours
- Riley Poole, character in the National Treasure franchise
- Riley Stavros, a character in Degrassi: The Next Generation
- Riley Davis, a character in the television series MacGyver, 2016 reboot version
- Riley Blue, a character in the Netflix original series Sense8
Notes
- Rosenkrantz, Linda, and Satran, Pamela Redmond (2007). Baby Name Bible. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0-312-35220-2
- "Popular Baby Names". www.ssa.gov. Retrieved Aug 12, 2019.
- "Olivia and Oliver were 2016's top baby names in England and Wales". Sep 20, 2017. Retrieved Aug 12, 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.