Miley

Miley is a feminine given name that has become widely recognized in recent decades. In contemporary use it can function as a standalone name or as a shortened form of longer given names. Its popularity in the English-speaking world rose notably in the early 21st century, largely due to the fame of American singer and actress Miley Cyrus.

Cyrus was born Destiny Hope Cyrus in 1992 in Franklin, Tennessee. She adopted Miley as a stage name, a derivative of her childhood nickname “Smiley.” She rose to prominence as the title character in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana (2006–2011), which helped launch a successful career in music and film. Cyrus has released multiple albums and singles across pop, country, and rock influences and has appeared in films such as The Last Song (2010).

Beyond Cyrus, the given name Miley remains relatively uncommon prior to her rise in popular culture, but it has seen increasing use in English-speaking countries since the mid-2000s. The name is associated in popular discourse with Cyrus’s public persona and work, and it is used for fictional characters as well as other individuals who are not as widely known.