Ripley
About Ripley
The "Believe It or Not" jokes will get old fast, but this surname feels fun and on-trend for both girls and boys, reminiscent of Riley, Tripp, Bridger, and Oakley.
Deriving from the Old English rippel and leah meaning "grove" and "clearing" respectively, some might recognise it from The Talented Mr Ripley series by Patricia Highsmith, while others may associate it with the Alien movies.
Given to nearly 120 boys in 2023 - the highest number who've ever received the name in a single year - perhaps Ripley could see greater use in coming years.
As of October 2026, Ripley ranked #1266 in US births in 2025 SSA.
Editor's take: The name Ripley is a boy's name of English origin meaning "strip of clearing in the woods".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #4,504 | 22 | 11.5 |
| 2015 | #3,665 | 30 | 15.7 |
| 2016 | #4,071 | 26 | 13.7 |
| 2017 | #4,081 | 26 | 14 |
| 2018 | #4,578 | 22 | 12.1 |
| 2019 | #2,982 | 41 | 22.9 |
| 2020 | #2,132 | 66 | 38.2 |
| 2021 | #1,980 | 76 | 43.4 |
| 2022 | #1,621 | 108 | 61.9 |
| 2023 | #1,506 | 118 | 69 |
| 2024 | #1,398 | 134 | 77.8 |
| 2025 | #1,266 | 156 | 91.3 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Ripley.
- West
- Ranger
- Lake
- Link
- Ridge
- Rome
- Rivers
- Memphis
- Oaks
- Hale
- Scotland
- Scout
- Slater
- Creed
- Marley
- Indiana
- Kodiak
- Reno
- Sunny
- Neko
Ripley on lists
Famous Ripleys
- LeRoy Robert Ripley
better known as Robert Ripley, American cartoonist, entrepreneur, and amateur anthropologist, known for creating the "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" newspaper panel series, radio show, and TV show that featured odd facts from around the world, and now a museum
Ripley in pop culture
- Tom Ripley
charming psychopath originally in the 1955 novel "The Talented Mr. Ripley," followed by "Ripley Under Ground" (1970), "Ripley's Game" (1974), "The Boy Who Followed Ripley" (1980), and "Ripley Under Water" (1991), by Patricia Highsmith
- "The Talented Mr. Ripley
" 1999 film