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Riley

Today's name: Riley (unisex)

Pronunciation: RY-lee

Potential nicknames: Although Riley sounds like it is already a nickname, possible nicknames include Ri/Ry, and Lee/Leigh.

Variant forms: Reilly, Reilley, Rilee, Rylee, Ryleigh, Rileigh, Ryley

Origin: (1) An Irish and Gaelic variant of the surname O'Reilly, which came from an Old Irish personal name (Raghallach, of unknown meaning), meaning "courageous." (2) English, meaning "rye clearing." (3) Riley and Reilly are also common surnames. (4) Please research which spelling and gender goes with which meaning.

Popularity: The popularity of this name has skyrocketed. In 2010 this name ranked at #40 for girls and #105 for boys. In 2011 it was the most popular R name for girls at #47 and #111 for boys. The spelling Rylee was #102 for girls, Ryleigh was #193 for girls, Rylie #358 for girls, and Rileigh was just outside the top 1000. For boys, Rylee was the only other spelling that ranked, at #741.


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