Barkley
About Barkley
Barkley is a masculine name of English origin, originally a surname derived from the Old English 'beorc' meaning 'birch tree' and 'leah' meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow.' As a first name, Barkley has maintained modest usage, experiencing small peaks of popularity in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, possibly influenced by basketball star Charles Barkley. The name carries strong nature associations and a certain preppy, distinguished quality. It balances being recognizable without being common, appealing to parents looking for names with English heritage and woodland connections. Barkley also carries a friendly, approachable sound while maintaining a traditional surname-as-first-name style.
Pronounced BARK-lee.
As of October 2026, Barkley ranked #10859 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #2061 in 1951.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | — | 0 | 0 |
Similar names
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Barkley on lists
Famous Barkleys
- Barkley L. Hendricks
American painter
- Barkley Stuart Thompson
American Episcopal church dean
- Charles Barkley
American basketball player
- Alben W. Barkley
35th Vice President of the United States
- Ross Barkley
English professional footballer
Barkley in pop culture
- Barkley
character on TV's "Sex and the City"
- Barkley
Muppet dog on TV's "Sesame Street"
- Barkley
a mini Skylander from the video game "Skylanders Trap Team"
- Barkley
character in Caroline Bock's "Before my Eyes"
- Catherine Barkley
character in Ernest Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms"