| Riley | Darcy | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Valiant; rye clearing | dark one; or from Arcy (place name) — two origins |
| Origin | Irish | irish |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | RY-lee | DAR-see |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1923 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2016 (7,159) | 1970 (681) |
| In 2025 | 4,441 | 0 |
| Trend | Steady | Vintage |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Riley | Darcy |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 29,219 | 1,479 |
| 2010s | 56,150 | 1,742 |
| 2000s | 45,533 | 1,341 |
| 1990s | 10,234 | 1,888 |
| 1980s | 680 | 3,279 |
| 1970s | 72 | 4,985 |
| 1960s | 11 | 5,588 |
| 1950s | 18 | 2,706 |
| 1940s | 21 | 362 |
| 1930s | 11 | 33 |
| 1920s | 11 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 5 |
Riley has two strands: the Irish Ó Raghallaigh, linked to “valiant” or “courageous,” and an English place name meaning “rye clearing.”
Two distinct origins: as an Irish name it anglicizes O Dorchaidhe, from 'dorcha' meaning 'dark', giving 'dark one'; as an English/Norman name it is the aristocratic d'Arcy, a locational surname meaning 'from Arcy' in Normandy, with no 'dark' sense. Both are genuine; flag which is intended.
Riley is more popular than Darcy today: about 4,441 US babies were given the name Riley in 2025, compared with 0 named Darcy.
Riley means Valiant; rye clearing (Irish origin), while Darcy means dark one; or from Arcy (place name) — two origins (irish origin).
In US records, Riley first appears in 1923 and Darcy in 0, so Darcy has the longer recorded history.