Ripley
Ripley is both a surname and a unisex given name. Notable people bearing it include:
- English
Meaning & Origin of Ripley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ripley is both a surname and a unisex given name. Notable people bearing it include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Ripley
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Ripley as a girl name dates back to 1988, when 11 babies received it. 2022 was its biggest year on record, with 207 newborns named Ripley — #1,166 in the national rankings. About 49% of every Ripley on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Ripley ranks #1,187 for girls with 202 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). All told, over 3K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Ripley as a boy name dates back to 1918, when 6 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 150 newborns named Ripley — #1,304 in the national rankings. About 68% of every Ripley on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Ripley ranks #1,304 for boys with 150 births, rising sharply (+182% over the past five years). All told, over 1K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Where is Ripley most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- United States49%
- United Kingdom19%
- Canada16%
- New Zealand9%
- Australia6%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Ripley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ripley 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 Ripley
What does the name Ripley mean?
What is the origin of the name Ripley?
How popular is Ripley in 2026?
When was Ripley most popular?
In which U.S. states is Ripley most popular?
Is Ripley a unisex name?
What names go well with Ripley?
About the name Ripley
Ripley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1988 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Ripley's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #1,166. Use the chart and map above to compare Ripley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.