Perley
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Perley since 1880 — 1,052 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Perley
Perley is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1880, 1,052 American babies have been named Perley. Its peak came in 1915, when 30 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Perley stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Perley year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | 11 | #2,523 |
| 1950 | — | — | 13 | #2,180 |
| 1945 | 5 | #5,084 | 10 | #2,358 |
| 1940 | — | — | 26 | #1,326 |
| 1935 | — | — | 13 | #2,105 |
| 1930 | — | — | 26 | #1,457 |
| 1925 | — | — | 24 | #1,569 |
| 1920 | — | — | 26 | #1,492 |
| 1915 | — | — | 30 | #1,209 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | 7 | #1,064 |
| 1900 | — | — | 6 | #1,277 |
| 1895 | — | — | 5 | #1,208 |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,489 | 11 | #624 |
| 1885 | — | — | 12 | #571 |
| 1880 | — | — | 18 | #420 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Perley mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Perley in 2025?
Perley did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Perley?
1,052 babies have been named Perley in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Perley most popular?
Perley peaked in 1915, when 30 newborns received the name.
Is Perley a boy or girl name?
Perley is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 97% of babies with the name.
Is the name Perley rising or falling?
Perley has been roughly stable over the past decade.