Rylee is a name of American origin, derived from the English surname Riley. The surname Riley is believed to have originated from two possible sources: one being an Irish Gaelic name Ó Raghallaigh, which means "descendant of Raghallach", and the other being an English occupational name for a basket maker, derived from the Middle English word "rely" meaning "basket".
The name Rylee gained popularity in the United States during the late 20th century. It was particularly popular among parents who chose to use it as both a girls' and boys' name due to its unisex nature. In fact, according to data from the Social Security Administration, Rylee has consistently ranked in the top 1,000 names for both sexes since the late 1990s.
Despite its recent popularity, the name Rylee does not have a widely recognized meaning or history behind it. Unlike many other names with historical significance or deeply rooted meanings, Rylee is considered a modern name that has been popularized by its unique sound and spelling. It is often associated with the trend of using vowel-consonant-vowel-consonant syllable patterns in baby names.
Today, Rylee remains a widely used name throughout North America and beyond. Its popularity can be attributed to its modern sound, unisex nature, and the lack of any negative associations or meanings attached to it. As such, parents continue to choose this name for their children as an alternative to more traditional or common names.
Based on the statistics provided, we can observe several trends regarding the name Rylee over the years in the United States.
From 1983 to 1997, the number of births with the name Rylee remained relatively low, fluctuating between 7 and 99 births per year. However, starting from 1998, there was a significant increase in the popularity of this name, with over 100 births occurring each year.
The peak in popularity for the name Rylee occurred in 2004, with 233 births recorded that year. This high level of popularity continued through 2006, with the number of births exceeding 250 each year during this period.
After 2007, there was a gradual decline in the popularity of the name Rylee, with fewer than 150 births occurring annually between 2010 and 2023. Despite this decrease, the name remained relatively stable, with around 100 to 150 births per year.
Overall, over the course of nearly four decades, from 1983 to 2023, a total of 5360 babies were named Rylee in the United States. This indicates that while it may not have been one of the most popular names during its peak popularity, the name Rylee has still been chosen for a significant number of newborns over the years.