Boy · #8,799 in 2026

Donley

Name: Popularity of the name Donley in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Donley, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#8,799

Peak Rank

#1,498 (1934)

Total Babies

564

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1909

First Year

1994

Last Year

1934

Peak Year

#1498

Peak Rank

564

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Donley

Donley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1909, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1934, when 21 Donleys were born — ranking #1,498 that year. As of 2026, Donley ranks #8,799 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 564 Donleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Donley

Phonetically similar names — useful when Donley is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Donley

What does the name Donley mean?

Donley is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1909. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Donley in 2026?

In 2026, Donley ranks #8,799 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Donley most popular?

Donley reached its peak popularity in 1934, ranking #1,498 that year with 21 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Donley most popular?

Donley has historically been most popular in West Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Donley.

Is Donley a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Donley is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Donley?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Donley include Loretta, Dolan, Joann. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Donley

Donley is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1909 and has accumulated 564 births in the dataset. Donley's peak popularity came in 1934 when it ranked #1,498. Use the chart and map above to compare Donley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

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Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.