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♂ Ashley
What does Ashley mean?
Ashley 
▼ as a boys' name (also used more widely as girls' name Ashley) is pronounced ASH-lee. It is of Old English origin, and the meaning of Ashley is "ash meadow". Surname and place name. As a given name, Ashley is now used mostly for girls. First recorded as a given name in the 16th century, but its wider use was probably inspired by the Earl of Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper in the early 19th century, who was a noted humanitarian who inspired much of the legislation designed to improve conditions among working classes. Literary: Ashley Wilkes is the man long loved by Scarlett O'Hara in Margaret Mitchell's novel "Gone With the Wind". Ashley is also an English saint's name (17th century).
ASSOCIATED WITH old english, ash (tree), meadow, surname, 16th century, earl (noble), 19th century, saint, 17th century
Variations
VARIANTS Ash, Ashely, Asheley, Ashelie, Ashlan, Ashleigh, Ashlen, Ashli, Ashlie, Ashlin, Ashling, Ashlinn, Ashly, Ashlyn, Ashlynn, Lee▼
SEE ALSO Ashton
FEMININE FORMS Ainsley, Ashlynn, Ashton, Chesleigh, Raleigh, Whitley
CREATIVE FORMS(male)
(female)
MIDDLE NAME PAIRINGS
Ashley Markel (A.M.), ..
How popular is Ashley?
Ashley is a very prominent first name for males (#584 out of 1220, Top 48%) and also a very prominent surname for both adults and children (#852 out of 150436, Top 1%). (2000 U.S. DEMOGRAPHICS)
Ashley reached its highest rank of #357 in the U.S. in the 1980s, but is not in the list currently. (TOP 2000 NAMES, 2018)
Which version is better?
Prominent varying forms of Ashley are Ash (#1366 IN 2018), Ashton (#128) and Lee (#689). Usage of these relations of Ashley was more pronounced during the years 1890-1899 (MEDIAN #984) and has become much diminished since (#1045, ▼51%), with forms such as Lee becoming less fashionable.
Similar Names
Recommended sound-alike names are Abbey, Abey, Able, Absolem, Acey, Achmed, Acklea, Ackley, Adler▲, Adley, Ahmed▲, Alek, Alen, Alexy, Alfey, Algey, Alley, Alleyn, Alvy, Anslea, Ansley, Ansly, Ardley, Ardly, Arlea, Arlen▼, Arley, Arrlen, Asael, Asahel, Asayel, Ashbel, Ashbey, Ashby, Ashe, Asher▲, Ashraf, Ashtin, Asiel, Askel, Aspen, Atlee, Atley, Attlee, Attley, Aubrey▼, Audley, Aynsley, Bailey▼, Baxley, Bayley, Birley, Bryley (see Briley), Cailey, Caley, Curley, Dahey, Dailey, Denley, Finley▲, Hadley, Hailey, Harley▼, Hurley, Huxley▲, Juley, Kealey, Lesley, Olley, Redley, Risley, Rutley, Sealey, Wesley▲ and Yarley. These names tend to be less frequently used than Ashley.
See names in meaning and etymology.[Top]