Selecting a middle name for a baby boy is an endeavor filled with anticipation and joy.
It’s essential to find a middle name that resonates, creating a perfect combination that sounds harmonious when spoken aloud. Think about how the full name will sound, ensuring the chosen middle name provides the right balance and flow.
That is why we have compiled an ultimate list of 100+ second names for a boy named Riley. Whether you’re looking for traditional or unconventional options, this list has all types of possibilities!
Riley has become a fabulous unisex name but in this post, we are focusing on boys second names for Riley.
What Does Riley Mean?
Ryland is derived from the original Gaelic word raghalach, which literally translates as “courageous, heroic or valliant.”
When considering the name Riley, a myriad of choices springs to mind, each with its unique charm and significance. Riley, a name with a rich history and cultural resonance, means ‘fair-haired’ and ‘valiant’. It is reminiscent of a fair warrior, destined for great deeds and adventures. This vibrant name, rooted in Celtic origins, is not just popular in recent years but also has timeless appeal.
Riley, a name with a rich history and diverse selection, has become increasingly popular as a gender-neutral choice. Rooted in English words and often associated with meanings like “little riley” or “winding valley,” this moniker has timeless appeal. With associations from Greek mythology to meanings like “young warrior” and “dark warrior,” the name has depth and versatility.
This later evolved into the surname m, O’Reilly, with the letter O denoting “son of.” It evolved into a first name for boys and then more recently for girls with various different spellings.
How do You Pronounce Riley?
Riley is pronounced rye-lee.
Famous People Called Riley
- Riley Martin (1946–2015), American author
- Riley Mattson (born 1938), American football player
- Riley McCarron (born 1993), American football player
- Riley Salmon (born 1976), American volleyball player
- Riley Schmidt (born 1976), American actor
How Popular is Riley as a name?
Traditionally as a male name, it was very popular in the 20th century in the US, however in recent years the female version has become more popular than the male version. In 2020 it ranked 258 as a boy’s name in US.
How to Choose the Perfect Middle Name for Riley
Choosing the perfect name to pair with Riley is an extremely important decision. Consider the family member or family names that have personal significance or bear strength in your family’s history. Perhaps you’d like to choose from names that have meanings related to nature, like “olive tree,” “wild boar,” or “river crossing.”
Alternatively, you might be inclined towards names that echo the virtues of a “resolute protector” or “strong lord.”
The most appropriate middle name for Riley is the one that blends nicely with his first and last names.
Say the names out loud with Riley at the start. For example, Riley Carson. Remove any names that are strange, bizarre, or difficult to pronounce.
Step 2 should be repeated, but this time include the last name and listen to how it sounds. Delete any further names that don’t sound suitable.
Examine the initials of the remaining names and identify the ones that work particularly well together.
Make certain that it does not sound absurd or harsh. Consider looking for ones that can be given nicknames when they are grouped together.
By the time you are finished with steps 1-4, you will have cut down the selection to a manageable amount of options that will assist you in deciding on the ideal middle name for Riley.
99 Best Middle Names for Riley
| 1 | Riley Hayes |
| 2 | Riley Javier |
| 3 | Riley Rowen |
| 4 | Riley Gage |
| 5 | Riley Darwin |
| 6 | Riley Atticus |
| 7 | Riley Kellen |
| 8 | Riley Wade |
| 9 | Riley Dominic |
| 10 | Riley Salem |
| 11 | Riley Jamison |
| 12 | Riley Tommy |
| 13 | Riley Miles |
| 14 | Riley Colson |
| 15 | Riley Ty |
| 16 | Riley Axel |
| 17 | Riley Angel |
| 18 | Riley Tyson |
| 19 | Riley Maximus |
| 20 | Riley Ruben |
| 21 | Riley Jordan |
| 22 | Riley Bruce |
| 23 | Riley Cameron |
| 24 | Riley Nicolas |
| 25 | Riley Everett |
| 26 | Riley Porter |
| 27 | Riley Ronin |
| 28 | Riley Zander |
| 29 | Riley Wells |
| 30 | Riley Rodney |
| 31 | Riley Cole |
| 32 | Riley Jaden |
| 33 | Riley Brayden |
| 34 | Riley Lukas |
| 35 | Riley Saul |
| 36 | Riley Peter |
| 37 | Riley Colton |
| 38 | Riley Beau |
| 39 | Riley Miguel |
| 40 | Riley Theodore |
| 41 | Riley Chance |
| 42 | Riley Conor |
| 43 | Riley Calvin |
| 44 | Riley Rex |
| 45 | Riley Quentin |
| 46 | Riley Leighton |
| 47 | Riley Kolton |
| 48 | Riley Barrett |
| 49 | Riley Marco |
| 50 | Riley Ledger |
| 51 | Riley Luka |
| 52 | Riley Lorenzo |
| 53 | Riley Clayton |
| 54 | Riley Jay |
| 55 | Riley Owen |
| 56 | Riley Ashton |
| 57 | Riley Kaiser |
| 58 | Riley Louis |
| 59 | Riley Musa |
| 60 | Riley Robin |
| 61 | Riley Finley |
| 62 | Riley Marcos |
| 63 | Riley Lian |
| 64 | Riley Leon |
| 65 | Riley Rafael |
| 66 | Riley Marcelo |
| 67 | Riley Langston |
| 68 | Riley Hendrix |
| 69 | Riley Cesar |
| 70 | Riley Mekhi |
| 71 | Riley Forrest |
| 72 | Riley Kairo |
| 73 | Riley Osiris |
| 74 | Riley Isaac |
| 75 | Riley Zachariah |
| 76 | Riley Roberto |
| 77 | Riley Damien |
| 78 | Riley Fletcher |
| 79 | Riley Shepard |
| 80 | Riley Nico |
| 81 | Riley Malachi |
| 82 | Riley Malakai |
| 83 | Riley Milo |
| 84 | Riley Quinn |
| 85 | Riley Titus |
| 86 | Riley Vincent |
| 87 | Riley Conner |
| 88 | Riley Zayn |
| 89 | Riley Kyrie |
| 90 | Riley Thomas |
| 91 | Riley Maximo |
| 92 | Riley Sage |
| 93 | Riley Grant |
| 94 | Riley Xavier |
| 95 | Riley Ethan |
| 96 | Riley Lewis |
| 97 | Riley Junior |
| 98 | Riley Morgan |
| 99 | Riley Parker |
First Name for Middle Name Riley
If you have already decided on Riley as the middle name you might be looking for the perfect first name as Riley makes a great middle name. We have our top 20 here!
| Sebastian Riley |
| Bryan Riley |
| Raylan Riley |
| Jason Riley |
| Isaac Riley |
| Ryan Riley |
| Lawson Riley |
| Jaxson Riley |
| Tucker Riley |
| Wyatt Riley |
| Ruben Riley |
| River Riley |
| Colt Riley |
| Kellan Riley |
| Kolton Riley |
| Malakai Riley |
| Alex Riley |
| Jesse Riley |
| Ethan Riley |
| Brooks Riley |
10 Classic Boy Names That Go Well With Riley
| Riley Shaun |
| Riley Albert |
| Riley Caleb |
| Riley Mark |
| Riley Eli |
| Riley Peter |
| Riley James (See best names for James) |
| Riley Timothy |
| Riley Connor |
| Riley David |
10 Modern Names That Go With Riley
| Riley Jay |
| Riley Camden |
| Riley Otis |
| Riley Charlie |
| Riley Sterling |
| Riley Conrad |
| Riley Emery |
| Riley Phoenix |
| Riley Robin |
| Riley Kirin |
10 Unusual Names That Go With Riley
| Riley Weston |
| Riley Camden |
| Riley Eagan |
| Riley Bentley |
| Riley Finn |
| Riley Cadogan |
| Riley Bailey |
| Riley Ollie |
| Riley Greyson |
| Riley Albion |
European Names That Match the Name Riley
If you love European names or even have European ancestry we’ve compiled the best Irish, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Polish names to go with Wren. We’ve kept this spelt in their original authentic way, but you can always update the spelling if you prefer.
10 Irish Middle Names to Go with Riley
| Riley Micheal |
| Riley Shane |
| Riley Eoghan |
| Riley Liam |
| Riley Feidhlim |
| Riley Iarlaith |
| Riley Caoilan |
| Riley Jacob |
| Riley Cillian |
| Riley Diarmuid |
10 French Middle Names to Go with Riley
| Riley Blaise |
| Riley Marceau |
| Riley Francis |
| Riley Léon |
| Riley Maurice |
| Riley Romain |
| Riley Armel |
| Riley Achille |
| Riley Constantin |
10 Spanish Middle Names for Riley
| Riley Juan Ignacio |
| Riley Patricio |
| Riley Felipe |
| Riley Juan Esteban |
| Riley Lautaro |
| Riley Agustín |
| Riley Matías |
10 Italian Middle Names for Riley
| Riley Antonio |
| Riley Gerardo |
| Riley Franco |
| Riley Agatino |
| Riley Gaetano |
| Riley Donato |
| Riley Constantino |
10 German Middle Names for Riley
If you like German boy names check out our post.
| Riley Erwin |
| Riley Bernhard |
| Riley Max |
| Riley Rudolf |
| Riley Bruno |
| Riley Johannes |
| Riley Peter |
10 Polish Middle Names for Riley
| Riley Tobiasz |
| Riley Franciszek |
| Riley Oskar |
| Riley Kazimierz |
| Riley Witold |
| Riley Ignacy |
| Riley Alan |
Names of Certain Length
If you have a long or short surname, you might want to choose middle names with just 1, 2 or 3 syllables, we’ve got the best of each to help you choose the best middle name for your child.
10 Middle Names for Riley with 1 Syllable
| Riley Kyle |
| Riley Hayes |
| Riley Krew |
| Riley Lee |
| Riley Rex |
| Riley Rome |
| Riley Trent |
| Riley Ian |
| Riley Saint |
| Riley Joel |
10 Middle Names for Riley with 2 Syllables
| Riley Robert |
| Riley Cyrus |
| Riley Luis |
| Riley Ramon |
| Riley Silas |
| Riley Ivan |
| Riley Amari |
| Riley Luca |
| Riley Otto |
| Riley Odin |
10 Middle Names for Riley with 3 Syllables
| Riley Joshua |
| Riley Raphael |
| Riley Elliot |
| Riley Jamison |
| Riley Nathaniel |
| Riley Christopher |
| Riley Tobias |
| Riley Nicholas |
| Riley Frederick |
| Riley Edison |
Middle Names for Riley with the Same Initial
| Riley Rex |
| Riley Ruben |
| Riley Ronald |
| Riley Reid |
| Riley Ryan |
| Riley Rohan |
| Riley Ronan |
| Riley Rayan |
| Riley Rodrigo |
| Riley Romeo |
Middle Names for Riley Starting with A Vowel
| Riley Elliot |
| Riley Andre |
| Riley Aziel |
| Riley Onyx |
| Riley Alexander |
| Riley Arlo |
| Riley Angelo |
| Riley Eric |
| Riley Erick |
| Riley Isaiah |
| Riley Uriel |
Nicknames for Riley
Riley is often given the following nicknames:
- Lee
- Rye
Different Ways to Spell Riley
- Reilly
- Rylie
Similar Sounding Names to Riley
- Ridley
- Ripley
- Wiley
- Ryton
Sibling Names for Riley
If you already have a child named Wren, you might be looking for some great sister or brother names that go with it. We’ve compiled some classic names that go together really well with Wren.
Sister Names for Riley
| Riley & Bristol |
| Riley & Regina |
| Riley & Astrid |
| Riley & Joy |
| Riley & Charleigh |
| Riley & Rosie |
| Riley & Violet |
| Riley & Isabel |
| Riley & Adelyn |
| Riley & Winter |
Brother Names for Riley
| Riley & Rome |
| Riley & Leonard |
| Riley & Malachi |
| Riley & Kyro |
| Riley & Raymond |
| Riley & Frank |
| Riley & Ledger |
| Riley & Kole |
| Riley & Dorian |
| Riley & Beau |
Why give a middle name to Riley?
A middle name gives your child another layer of identity and can be a great way to honor a loved one. It also provides an extra name that they can use if they ever want to change their first or last name or just give them an extra unique and special name.
When considering a middle name for your little Riley, there are numerous options that can complement and even enhance the already beautiful significance of the first name.
The name Riley possesses a charm and versatility that makes it suitable for both boys and girls and selecting the right middle name can amplify its allure. The choices are vast, from names with historical significance to those inspired by nature and virtues. Ultimately, the right middle name for Riley should resonate with your family’s values, traditions, or personal preferences, creating a harmonious blend that feels just right.
Whether it’s a name that pays tribute to family heritage or one that aligns with meanings like “arrow maker” or “beautiful mountain,” there’s a vast range of choices available.
Not everyone has a middle name, and indeed many people have multiple middle names. I have three, and they were all named after relatives that my parents cared about dearly.
Often people can make the middle name a nickname later on or even you can put the initials together to form a new name, for example, Riley Josh could become RJ!
Research has also indicated that having middle names improves peoples chances of getting a better job in the future!
According to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, people who have middle names are believed to have a high social position and to be intellectually superior.
Take Away For Middle Name Riley
Middle names often tell a story and I love how they represent both of my grandmothers and mother. My children all have middle names that honor relatives in the family too!
Remember, while trends in baby names can come and go, the name you choose will accompany your child for a lifetime, so take the time to select one that feels meaningful and timeless. Whether it’s influenced by family heritage, personal stories, or just a name that sounds beautiful when paired with Riley, your decision will undoubtedly add depth and richness to your child’s identity.
We hope this list was helpful!
