The name Riley comes from a surname, which is derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English.
Famous bearers
Bearers of the surname include Terry Riley (born 1935), an American composer;
John Riley (1937 - 1978), an English poet;
Gina Riley (born 1961), an Australian actor, writer, and singer;
Gary Riley (born 1963), an American character actor.
