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The short answer
Ripley is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From a surname that was derived from the name of various English towns, from Old English rippel ‘grove, thicket’ and leah ‘clearing’. A famous fictional bearer is the character Ellen Ripley (usually only called by her surname) from the Alien series of movies, beginning 1979." It ranked #1032 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from a surname that was derived from the name of various English towns, from Old English rippel ‘grove, thicket’ and leah ‘clearing’. A famous fictional bearer is the character Ellen Ripley (usually only called by her surname) from the Alien series of movies, beginning 1979. The entry lists its usage as English (Rare).
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Ripley ranked #1032 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #1032 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Ripley in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ripley mean?
Behind the Name does not give Ripley a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from a surname that was.
Is Ripley a popular name?
Ripley ranked #1032 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Ripley a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Ripley appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine & masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Ripley — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
