Harley
Say it: HAR-lee
Girl and boyMeans usually explained as "hare meadow" or "rock clearing"6 letters2 syllables
#443
in Ireland (2025)
#435 with spellings combined
8
babies in 2025
#167
best rank (2020)
197
babies since 2011
Up 29
10-year rank change
Harley through the years
Compare with another name →girlsboys
Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #435 | 6 | #492 |
| 2024 | 7 | #494 | 5 | #559 |
| 2023 | 7 | #484 | 3 | #733 |
| 2022 | 22 | #211 | 10 | #367 |
| 2021 | 12 | #339 | 18 | #249 |
| 2020 | 28 | #167 | 11 | #350 |
| 2019 | 20 | #236 | 19 | #241 |
| 2018 | 22 | #219 | 23 | #230 |
| 2017 | 30 | #172 | 24 | #230 |
| 2016 | 12 | #360 | 29 | #196 |
| 2015 | 9 | #464 | 21 | #245 |
| 2014 | 7 | #542 | 33 | #181 |
| 2013 | 3 | #894 | 21 | #252 |
| 2012 | 6 | #613 | 13 | #324 |
| 2011 | 4 | #796 | 12 | #342 |
| 2010 | - | - | 10 | #373 |
| 2009 | - | - | 6 | #472 |
| 2008 | - | - | 4 | #601 |
| 2007 | - | - | 3 | #629 |
| 2005 | - | - | 3 | #518 |
| 1990 | - | - | 3 | #323 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Harley mean?
Usually explained as "hare meadow" or "rock clearing"
English, from a surname taken from place names, from Old English hara (hare) or hær (rock) and lēah (clearing).
Say it right
HARlee
The story of Harley
Harley comes from an English surname, which was itself taken from place names. The second part is the Old English lēah, a wood or clearing. The first part is either hara, a hare, or hær, a rock, and sources do not agree which, so the name is read as “hare meadow” or “rock clearing”. Many people know it best through Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and in London Harley Street is famous for its doctors.
In Ireland Harley was first a boys’ name. It first appears in the CSO records in 1990, and its best year for boys was 2014, with 33 babies. Girls followed from 2011, with most babies in 2017, when 30 girls were named Harley. Since then the name has become less common for both. In 2025 there were 8 girls and 6 boys named Harley. It has been more popular in Northern Ireland, where the boys’ name reached number 90 in 2017.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Harley (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Harley (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Harley | 8 | 197 |
In Northern Ireland
#334 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #158 (2020); 87 babies since 2005.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.
Harley is also given to boys: 277 since 1990, 6 in 2025.