Harley
Girl name · #418 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Harley? In official American birth records, Harley has been tracked continuously since 1916, giving it 109 years of documented American history.
Harley ranks #418 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 748 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #278, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,406 girls born in 2025 was named Harley.
Babies named Harley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 109-year story
Harley first appears in the Social Security records in 1916, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2017, when 1,532 girls were named Harley — good for #202 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Harley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Harley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Harley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Harley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Harley is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Harley is most common in LA (1.2 per 1,000), AR (1.1 per 1,000), WI (0.9 per 1,000), UT (0.9 per 1,000), MI (0.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Harley is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Harley
Statistically, parents drawn to Harley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Finley, Ainsley, Brinley, Marley, and Charley.
FinleyAinsleyBrinleyMarleyCharleyHenleyPresleyKensley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Harley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 748 | #418 |
| 2024 | 797 | #396 |
| 2023 | 891 | #345 |
| 2022 | 981 | #328 |
| 2021 | 1,046 | #305 |
| 2020 | 1,115 | #286 |
| 2019 | 1,221 | #273 |
| 2018 | 1,415 | #223 |
| 2017 | 1,532 | #202 |
| 2016 | 1,433 | #224 |
| 2015 | 1,136 | #278 |
| 2014 | 949 | #350 |
| 2013 | 878 | #359 |
| 2012 | 760 | #413 |
| 2011 | 716 | #436 |
| 2010 | 717 | #431 |
| 2009 | 764 | #419 |
| 2008 | 781 | #411 |
| 2007 | 669 | #485 |
| 2006 | 836 | #388 |
| 2005 | 842 | #375 |
| 2004 | 876 | #362 |
| 2003 | 997 | #311 |
| 2002 | 871 | #342 |
| 2001 | 820 | #365 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Harley?
In official American birth records, the name Harley first appeared in 1916 (over 109 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 109 years.
Is Harley a popular girl name?
Harley ranked #418 among girls in 2025 with 748 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #278.
When was the name Harley most popular?
Harley peaked in 2017, when 1,532 American girls received the name (ranked #202 that year). Since 2017 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Harley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,406 newborn American girls was named Harley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.