NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Miley

A feminine given name derived from a Middle English surname meaning "one from the mill town or mill residence".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Miley is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Miley popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #222, with 215 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 525 births.

This profile covers 4,105 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 2007 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 41% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 4,691 living people in the UK are called Miley. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Miley ranked #222 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 215 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2010, when 525 girls were registered as Miley.
  • Miley ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #188 in 2024.
  • About 4,691 living people in the UK are estimated to have Miley as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 96.3% of Miley registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#222

2024

Births in 2024

215

Latest year

Peak year

2010

525 births

Estimated living

4,691

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Miley

In England and Wales birth records, Miley has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 3.7% of registrations are for boys and 96.3% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

96% girls
Boys159 (3.7%)Girls4,105 (96.3%)

Miley registered for boys

  • Ranked #2,443 in 2024
  • 9 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2021 (12 births)

Miley registered for girls

  • Ranked #222 in 2024
  • 215 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2010 (525 births)

Meaning

What does Miley mean?

The name Miley is a diminutive form of the name Millicent, which is derived from the Old French name Milicent or Melisende. Milicent is a combination of two words – "milis" meaning "sweet" and "centia" meaning "pure" or "innocent". The name Milicent was popularized in the Middle Ages and was particularly common among the nobility in France and England.

The earliest known bearer of the name Miley was Miley de Courtenay, a French noblewoman who lived in the 13th century. She was the daughter of Robert de Courtenay, a nobleman who participated in the Fifth Crusade. Miley de Courtenay's name was recorded in various documents and charters from that time period.

Another notable historical figure with the name Miley was Miley of Aylesford, an English anchoress and mystic who lived in the 13th century. She was known for her pious life and her visions, which were recorded in a book called "The Revelations of Miley of Aylesford".

In the 16th century, there was a Miley Parnell, who was an English poet and translator. She is best known for her translations of works by the ancient Roman poet Ovid.

In the 18th century, Miley Griffiths was a Welsh botanist and naturalist. She was one of the first women to make significant contributions to the field of botany and is credited with discovering several new plant species.

Miley Twyman was an American abolitionist and activist who lived in the 19th century. She was a free Black woman who fought against slavery and advocated for the rights of African Americans.

While the name Miley has its roots in the Middle Ages and has been used throughout history, it is worth noting that its popularity has fluctuated over time. The name experienced a resurgence in recent decades, likely due to the fame of the American singer and actress Miley Cyrus, whose birth name is Destiny Hope Cyrus but who has been known professionally as Miley since her childhood.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Miley over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Miley in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Miley, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 215 births in 2024, compared with 525 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0133266398531199720102024

Decades

Miley by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Miley was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #280 858 5
2010s #251 2,535 10
2000s #498 712 3

Geography

Where Miley is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Miley. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Miley ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #188 in 2024.

Scotland
21
Northern Ireland
4

Across the UK

Miley in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#188 in 2024

18 years of NRS records, 393 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#337 in 2024

17 years of NISRA records, 215 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Miley

  • Miley Locke

    actor

    British actress

    2009-

Related

Names similar to Miley

FAQ

Miley: questions and answers

How popular is the name Miley in the UK right now?

In 2024, Miley was ranked #222 for girls in England and Wales, with 215 births registered.

When was Miley most popular?

The peak year on record was 2010, with 525 babies registered as Miley in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Miley?

A feminine given name derived from a Middle English surname meaning "one from the mill town or mill residence".

How many people are called Miley in the UK?

A total of 4,105 babies have been registered as Miley across the 18 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 393 more in Scotland and 215 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Miley most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Miley ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #188 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.