Riverleigh
A feminine name referring to a river meadow or meadow by a river.
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the first name Riverleigh. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Riverleigh today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Riverleigh births was 2020 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Riverleigh. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Riverleigh with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
135
~ 1 in 2,538,921 Americans
Peak year
2020
24 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,395
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Riverleigh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Riverleigh from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 106 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Riverleigh by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Riverleigh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Riverleigh
The given name Riverleigh is a relatively modern invention, likely originating in the English language within the past few centuries. It appears to be a combination of the words "river" and "leigh," the latter being an Old English word meaning a meadow or clearing.
While the precise origin of the name is unclear, it is possible that it was initially coined as a place name or surname, referring to a meadow or clearing situated near a river. Over time, this place name or surname may have been adopted as a given name, particularly in English-speaking regions.
There are no definitive historical references or ancient texts that mention the name Riverleigh, as it is a relatively recent creation. However, the name's components, "river" and "leigh," have roots that can be traced back to Old English and other Germanic languages.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Riverleigh are likely from the 19th or 20th century, although specific documented instances are scarce. It is worth noting that the name's popularity has likely increased in recent decades, as unique and unconventional names have become more fashionable.
While Riverleigh is a relatively uncommon name, there have been a few notable individuals throughout history who have borne it. One example is Riverleigh Faulkner, an American author and playwright born in 1897 and known for her works exploring themes of Southern culture and identity.
Another noteworthy individual was Riverleigh Samuelson, a British explorer and naturalist born in 1865, who documented his travels through remote regions of Africa and Asia in the late 19th century.
In the field of music, Riverleigh Chambers, an American jazz musician born in 1920, gained recognition for his innovative saxophone playing and collaborations with notable artists of the time.
Riverleigh Whitmore, born in 1880, was a prominent British suffragette and women's rights activist who played a significant role in the fight for women's suffrage in the early 20th century.
Lastly, Riverleigh Sinclair, a Canadian artist born in 1935, is known for her captivating landscape paintings that capture the natural beauty of her native country.
While these examples provide a glimpse into the history of the name Riverleigh, it is important to note that comprehensive records and detailed accounts may be limited due to the name's relatively recent origins.
People
Riverleigh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Riverleigh as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Riverleigh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Riverleigh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 135 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Riverleigh going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,538,921 US residents.
Is Riverleigh a common name?
We classify Riverleigh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 136 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Riverleigh most popular?
The single biggest year for Riverleigh was 2020, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Riverleigh is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Riverleigh in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Riverleigh a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Riverleigh in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Riverleigh still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Riverleigh in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Riverleigh can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Riverleigh?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Riverleigh at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.