Fun Facts About the Name Miley
- More than 15 thousand babies named Miley: U.S. records list 15,772 babies given the name Miley from 1880 through 2025. Even 75 boys received the name Miley - about 1 boy for every 209 girls.
What Does the Name Miley Mean?
Miley is a family name of Irish and English-speaking origin that has also come into use as a feminine given name. No meaning for the given name is firmly established, and the surname behind it has more than one proposed source.
The explanation most often given treats the Irish surname Miley as an anglicized form of a Gaelic name. It has been connected with Ó Maolaoidh, built from maol, meaning "devotee" or "servant," plus the personal name Aodh. A different Gaelic surname, Ó Meallaigh, has also been anglicized as Miley and similar spellings. Since anglicization produced many local spellings, the exact Gaelic original behind a particular Miley family is frequently uncertain.
Miley is also found as an English surname. Its derivation there is not clearly documented, and the resemblance between Miley and the given name Miles does not by itself show that the two are related. Miles comes from a Germanic name (Milo) and is unrelated to the Latin word miles, "soldier," despite the similar look. The Irish and English surname traditions are separate; a shared spelling is not proof of a shared origin.
Miley Name History & Origins
The surname Miley belongs to the large group of Irish family names that were reshaped in English spelling and pronunciation. As Gaelic surnames were written down by English-speaking clerks who recorded them by sound, one family's name could appear in several spellings, and unrelated Gaelic names could end up spelled the same way. As a result, not all bearers of the surname Miley descend from a single ancestor, and the Irish name has been explained from more than one Gaelic original.
The given name Miley is a newer development than the surname. It is a modern use of the family name, adopted mainly for girls in the United States, where it was uncommon before the 1990s. The name is widely associated with the singer and actress Miley Cyrus, who was born Destiny Hope Cyrus, was called by the nickname from childhood, and has worked under it. The character Miley Stewart in the television series Hannah Montana was named to match her. This recent public recognition is distinct from the older history of Miley as a surname.
How Popular is the Name Miley?
Miley recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2008. Its best rank was #129 in 2008.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #338 | 900 | 0.0560% |
| 2024 | #387 | 813 | 0.0504% |
| 2023 | #449 | 684 | 0.0427% |
| 2022 | #704 | 419 | 0.0256% |
| 2021 | #746 | 381 | 0.0232% |
| 2020 | #744 | 368 | 0.0228% |
| 2019 | #764 | 366 | 0.0218% |
| 2018 | #739 | 377 | 0.0222% |
| 2017 | #917 | 292 | 0.0169% |
| 2016 | #1,038 | 255 | 0.0144% |
| 2015 | #1,017 | 263 | 0.0147% |
| 2014 | #788 | 356 | 0.0199% |
| 2013 | #387 | 803 | 0.0458% |
| 2012 | #342 | 930 | 0.0528% |
| 2011 | #317 | 991 | 0.0563% |
| 2010 | #215 | 1,442 | 0.0811% |
| 2009 | #189 | 1,737 | 0.0946% |
| 2008 | #129 | 2,652 | 0.1403% |
| 2007 | #278 | 1,233 | 0.0641% |
| 2006 | #1,221 | 198 | 0.0104% |
| 2005 | #5,062 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2004 | #6,421 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #4,771 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2002 | #8,150 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #9,160 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #11,456 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #10,058 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #10,798 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #13,188 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #11,384 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #12,863 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #13,779 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #10,764 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #10,412 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #9,792 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #9,898 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #7,459 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #7,233 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #5,463 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1937 | #4,718 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #5,208 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1927 | #5,370 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1926 | #3,205 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #4,304 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1920 | #4,782 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1911 | #2,734 | 5 | 0.0012% |
| 1892 | #1,586 | 5 | 0.0024% |
| 1889 | #1,417 | 5 | 0.0028% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | #3,457 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #3,271 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1937 | #3,400 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1932 | #4,121 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1929 | #4,359 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1928 | #3,996 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1927 | #3,078 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1926 | #4,039 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #3,704 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1922 | #4,751 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #3,755 | 6 | 0.0007% |
| 1915 | #3,699 | 6 | 0.0007% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Miley
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with M
Unique Short Girl Names That Start with M
How the Name Miley Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Miley's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Miley's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.