Meaning
Ash-tree wood or clearing.
The recorded place-name roots are Old English ash tree and wood or clearing. This explains the surname-derived given-name tradition, rather than a bearer’s residence.
A LITTLE UNCOMMON. ENTIRELY YOURS.
Ashley
Meaning, origin and pronunciation, with published usage by place and year.
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Origin
English place-name and surname tradition, with Old English roots.
The given name is transferred from an English surname derived from place names. Its Old English components explain why older sources also label it Anglo-Saxon.
English pronunciation
/ˈæʃli/
Reviewed English reading for the surname and transferred given name.
Recorded English reading, as published. Accents and preferred pronunciations can differ.
Published name usage
Counts apply only to the exact spelling, place, year and recorded usage shown. Places are separate; these figures are never added into a worldwide total. Missing or suppressed records never mean zero.
| Place | Year | Recorded usage | Published births | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2025 | Girls | 60 · preliminary | 509 | 2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| Canada | 2022 | Boys | 5 | 2810 | 2025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| France | 2025 | Girls | 95 (rounded to 5) | 504 | Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published. |
| France | 2023 | Boys | 5 (rounded to 5) | 4507 | Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published. |
| England & Wales | 2025 | Girls | 25 | 1271 | Published ranks differ from ranks calculated over visible rows. Counts retained; automated trend labels withheld. Rank basis: source published. |
| England & Wales | 2025 | Boys | 49 | 716 | Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| Northern Ireland | 2017 | Girls | 3 | 432 | Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| Northern Ireland | 2013 | Boys | 3 | 398 | Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| Scotland | 2022 | Girls | 6 | 470 | Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| Scotland | 2019 | Boys | 5 | 516 | Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| Ireland | 2025 | Girls | 8 | 443 | Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| Ireland | 2020 | Boys | 4 | 637 | Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published. |
| United States | 2025 | Girls | 1,829 | 164 | Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts. |
| United States | 2025 | Boys | 27 | 3949 | Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts. |
Canada, Ireland and France coverage includes confidently matched existing profiles only; unmatched spellings are awaiting review. French counts are rounded to five.
Sources & notes
Open an entry for its source, credit, licence and full qualifications. Different name traditions remain separate.
Meaning: Ash-tree wood or clearing.
Checked against cited source
The recorded place-name roots are Old English ash tree and wood or clearing. This explains the surname-derived given-name tradition, rather than a bearer’s residence.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Nickname: Ash
Checked against cited source
Explicit English diminutive relationship; not an exclusive spelling identity or automatic pronunciation transfer. Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Ash&oldid=92709925. License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Adaptation: Rare Baby Names extracted the documented relationship; spelling statistics remain separate. No source audio reused.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Origin: English place-name and surname tradition, with Old English roots.
Checked against cited source
The given name is transferred from an English surname derived from place names. Its Old English components explain why older sources also label it Anglo-Saxon.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
English pronunciation: /ˈæʃli/
Checked against cited source
Reviewed English reading for the surname and transferred given name.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Spelling variant: Ashlee
Checked against cited source
Explicit alternative spelling in the English name entry; popularity counts remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Spelling variant: Ashleigh
Checked against cited source
Explicit alternative spelling in the English name entry; popularity counts remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Spelling variant: Ashlie
Checked against cited source
Explicit alternative spelling in the English name entry; popularity counts remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Spelling variant: Ashly
Checked against cited source
Explicit alternative spelling in the English name entry; popularity counts remain separate.
Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.
This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
CC BY-SA 4.0
country_CA
View statistics source (link unavailable)
country_FR
View statistics source (link unavailable)
country_IE
View statistics source (link unavailable)
Source: NISRA : Website: www.nisra.gov.uk
Attribution: Source: NISRA : Website: www.nisra.gov.uk
License: Open Government Licence v3.0
(C) Crown copyright. Data supplied by National Records of Scotland.
Attribution: (C) Crown copyright. Data supplied by National Records of Scotland.
License: Open Government Licence v3.0
Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence
Attribution: Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence
License: Open Government Licence v3.0
Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence
Attribution: Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence
License: Open Government Licence v3.0
U.S. Social Security Administration
Attribution: U.S. Social Security Administration
Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
Credit: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.
License: Statistics Canada Open Licence
Adaptation: Adapted from Statistics Canada, First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators, Table 17-10-0147-01, reference years 1991–2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
Credit: Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.
License: CC BY 4.0
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: joined the published count and rank indicators and matched unambiguous existing spellings. Source values retained.
Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
Credit: Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.
License: Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab)
Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: column names and sex codes mapped and unique case-only spellings matched to existing profiles. Published rounded counts and ranks retained.