Fun Facts About the Name Rileigh
- More than 3 thousand babies named Rileigh: U.S. records list 3,882 babies given the name Rileigh from 1880 through 2025. Even 50 boys received the name Rileigh - about 1 boy for every 77 girls.
What Does the Name Rileigh Mean?
Rileigh is a modern respelling of Riley, a name that began as a surname and later became a given name. The English surname Riley is a topographic name built from the Old English elements ryge, "rye," and lēah, "woodland," "clearing," or "meadow" - so "rye clearing." A separate origin lies in the Irish surname Ó Raghallaigh, "descendant of Raghallach," a personal name whose meaning is uncertain. The -eigh ending is a spelling convention, not a shift in sense: Rileigh carries the meaning and pronunciation of Riley, and the spelling does not point to a different root.
Rileigh Name History & Origins
The English surname Riley is recorded in the medieval period as a place-based name for someone who lived at or near a rye clearing, formed from Old English ryge and lēah. A distinct Irish surname, Ó Raghallaigh (also spelled Ó Raghailligh), belonged to a family associated with County Cavan and means "descendant of Raghallach." English and Irish bearers of these surnames carried them to North America and elsewhere, and the surname was gradually adopted as a given name in English-speaking countries.
Rileigh is one of several respellings that reflect the modern American habit of using the -eigh ending in names (as in Kayleigh or Ashleigh). This respelling is used chiefly for girls, while the plainer spelling Riley is shared by both boys and girls. The variant does not have a separate origin or history of its own; it develops alongside the parent spelling and keeps its meaning.
How Popular is the Name Rileigh?
Rileigh has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2009. Its best rank was #1,106 in 2004.
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 | #5,201 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 2024 | #4,531 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 2023 | #4,535 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 2022 | #4,355 | 33 | 0.0020% |
| 2021 | #2,701 | 64 | 0.0039% |
| 2020 | #2,813 | 59 | 0.0037% |
| 2019 | #2,674 | 65 | 0.0039% |
| 2018 | #2,322 | 79 | 0.0046% |
| 2017 | #2,253 | 84 | 0.0049% |
| 2016 | #1,679 | 128 | 0.0072% |
| 2015 | #1,716 | 123 | 0.0069% |
| 2014 | #1,689 | 125 | 0.0070% |
| 2013 | #1,276 | 186 | 0.0106% |
| 2012 | #1,429 | 160 | 0.0091% |
| 2011 | #1,209 | 199 | 0.0113% |
| 2010 | #1,175 | 208 | 0.0117% |
| 2009 | #1,149 | 221 | 0.0120% |
| 2008 | #1,166 | 220 | 0.0116% |
| 2007 | #1,262 | 196 | 0.0102% |
| 2006 | #1,306 | 180 | 0.0095% |
| 2005 | #1,180 | 196 | 0.0106% |
| 2004 | #1,106 | 207 | 0.0113% |
| 2003 | #1,110 | 199 | 0.0109% |
| 2002 | #1,202 | 170 | 0.0095% |
| 2001 | #1,376 | 139 | 0.0077% |
| 2000 | #1,548 | 116 | 0.0064% |
| 1999 | #1,645 | 102 | 0.0058% |
| 1998 | #1,732 | 92 | 0.0052% |
| 1997 | #2,153 | 65 | 0.0037% |
| 1996 | #3,131 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 1995 | #3,649 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1994 | #4,980 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #4,220 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1992 | #7,917 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #14,851 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | #11,953 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #13,905 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #14,061 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #12,254 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #12,057 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #9,381 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #8,751 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #9,028 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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.
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How the Name Rileigh Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Rileigh's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rileigh's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.