Yorley
A unique name of unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the first name Yorley. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Yorley today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Yorley births was 2011 (60 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Yorley. 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.
People living today
135
~ 1 in 2,538,921 Americans
Peak year
2011
60 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2017 SSA rank
#18,352
Tracked since 2010
Popularity
Yorley: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Yorley 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 Yorley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0 | 136 | 136 |
Geography
Where Yorleys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Yorley
The name Yorley is an intriguing one, steeped in history and cultural significance. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Germanic tribes of central Europe, particularly those inhabiting the regions now known as Germany and the Netherlands. The name is believed to be derived from the Old Germanic word "yor," which translates to "warrior" or "fighter," reflecting the fierce and courageous nature of these early peoples.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Yorley appears in the Codex Aureus, a 9th-century illuminated manuscript containing the Gospels written in the Carolingian minuscule script. This historical document mentions a nobleman named Yorley von Saxony, who was a prominent figure in the court of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor.
During the Middle Ages, the name Yorley gained popularity among the nobility and aristocracy of various European regions. One notable figure was Yorley de Montfort, a French knight who fought valiantly in the Crusades during the 12th century. His exploits were chronicled in the "Gesta Francorum," a contemporary account of the First Crusade.
As the Renaissance era dawned, the name Yorley continued to hold significance. In the 15th century, Yorley Visconti, an Italian nobleman and patron of the arts, played a crucial role in the cultural renaissance of Milan. His patronage of artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Donato Bramante left an indelible mark on the city's architectural and artistic landscape.
Jumping forward to the 17th century, Yorley Raleigh, an English explorer and writer, made his mark on history. Born in 1552, he is remembered for his expeditions to the Americas and his writings, including "The Discovery of the Large, Rich, and Beautiful Empire of Guiana," which fueled European interest in the New World.
Finally, in the 19th century, Yorley Tennyson, an English poet and writer, rose to prominence. Born in 1809, he is considered one of the most influential poets of the Victorian era, renowned for works such as "In Memoriam A.H.H." and "Idylls of the King." Tennyson's poetic genius and mastery of language earned him the position of Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland in 1850, a role he held until his death in 1892.
People
Yorley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Yorley as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Y
Other first names starting with Y with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Yorley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Yorley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 135 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Yorley 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 Yorley a common name?
We classify Yorley 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 Yorley most popular?
The single biggest year for Yorley was 2011, when 60 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Yorley is about 14 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 Yorley in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Yorley a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Yorley 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 Yorley still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Yorley 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 Yorley 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 Americans are named Yorley?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.