How to say it
MI · ley
/ˈmaɪ.li/
Feminine
Miley
A modern coinage
What it means
A modern American name with no older root, born as a nickname and made famous by Miley Cyrus.
Miley is essentially a name invented in the spotlight. The singer and actress was born Destiny Hope Cyrus and nicknamed 'Smiley' as a cheerful baby, which got trimmed to Miley and later made official. There is no ancient etymology to trace; it spread entirely from her fame in the 2000s. It rhymes with the popular -ley set, Riley, Hailey, and Kylie, and reads bright and unmistakably contemporary.
Popularity over time
peaked at #129 in 2008, currently #338 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
The name spread entirely from Miley Cyrus, whose childhood nickname was 'Smiley.'
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Miley Cyrus American singer and actress
Spelling variants
- Mylee
- Mileigh
- Mylie