Reilly is a baby name with Irish roots and a meaning often connected to “Brave.” For parents comparing baby names, it offers a simple way to balance meaning, sound, and overall feel.
What Does Reilly Mean?
A valiant and adventurous name meaning “Brave”
The name Reilly is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic surname O’Raghailligh, meaning “descendant of Raghailleach.” The name Raghailleach itself is believed to come from the Irish word “raghallaigh,” which means “valiant,” “courageous,” or “bareheaded.”
Historically, the name Reilly was a prominent surname in Ireland, particularly in the County Cavan area, where the O’Reilly clan held significant power and influence. The O’Reillys were one of the ruling families of the Kingdom of East Breifne and played a significant role in Irish history.
Origin And Style Of Reilly
Reilly is commonly connected to Irish naming traditions.
The meaning linked with Reilly is usually given as “Brave.”
When choosing a name like Reilly, many parents also compare how it looks on the page, how easy it is to say, and how well it fits with sibling names or family preferences.
Why Parents Consider Reilly
Reilly can be evaluated by the same practical questions parents use with any baby name: sound, meaning, familiarity, and overall style.
Families who like Reilly may also be looking for names that start with R, have a similar tone, or carry a meaning that feels thoughtful and positive.
Names Similar To Reilly
If you like Reilly, you may also want to explore Reegan, Reagan, Rogan, Rileyie, Rileyen.
Top 100 Names Like Reilly
Keep the loop going with Top 100 names like Reilly and Unisex Names and Irish baby names.
Names Starting With R
Browse more R names such as Reegan, Reagan, Rogan, Rileyie or open the R baby names archive.
Explore More R Names
Looking for similar ideas? Browse more R baby names or return to the full baby names directory to compare more options.
A valiant and adventurous name meaning “Brave”
The name Reilly is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic surname O’Raghailligh, meaning “descendant of Raghailleach.” The name Raghailleach itself is believed to come from the Irish word “raghallaigh,” which means “valiant,” “courageous,” or “bareheaded.”
Historically, the name Reilly was a prominent surname in Ireland, particularly in the County Cavan area, where the O’Reilly clan held significant power and influence. The O’Reillys were one of the ruling families of the Kingdom of East Breifne and played a significant role in Irish history.
In modern times, the name Reilly has transitioned from being primarily a surname to a unisex given name. It has become popular in English-speaking countries as a first name for both boys and girls.
The name Reilly carries connotations of strength, bravery, and leadership, making it a meaningful choice for parents looking for a name with Irish roots and a powerful significance.
Profile Confidence
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Popularity
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Meaning
Meaning notes are useful background, but meanings can vary by language, culture, and source.
Origin
Origin and root labels are used as browsing aids, not as a claim that one tradition is the only correct context.
Read the methodologyMeaning and origin guideHow to choose a name
How to use this profile
Look at Reilly from more than one angle.
Data signal
Use the Social Security record summary to see whether Reilly has a long usage trail, a newer rise, or a rare-name pattern.
Fit signal
Compare the R initial, sound, spelling, and rhythm with surname, sibling names, and family naming patterns.
Reader signal
Save Reilly, react to it, or read approved notes so the page becomes more than a static unisex-name listing.
Sources and limits: public U.S. Social Security baby-name records are used where available. Meaning, origin, style, shortlist, and community notes are treated as decision aids, not as a claim that one name is objectively best.
Shortlist notes
Why parents might save Reilly
- Reilly is easy to compare with other unisex names while you build a shortlist.
- The name starts with R, which can help when matching sibling names, initials, or family naming patterns.
- Use the save button to keep this name available while browsing origins, topic lists, and generator ideas.
Community
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