Names That Mean Meadow

Eighties spin on megapopular Whitney that currently ranks higher than the original. Whitley fell out of the Top 1000 for several decades but resurfaced in 2018.

Chelsea with dyslexia.

Undiscovered single-syllable surname option, a friendly alternative to Reed.

In an earlier time Shirley was used primarily for boys, but the tide turned with the publication of Charlotte Bronte's novel Shirley in 1849, the story of a character whose parents had selected the name for a boy child, then decided to use it anyway when he turned out to be a she.

The cake company pretty much knocked this otherwise-pretty compilation name out of consideration for most parents.

And if it's triplets: Pembroke, Pendleton, and Penley.

Bromley is an English surname-name that's more possible as a first name now than ever before. The -ley suffix has been adopted for many names, and surnames such as Bromley are fashionable.

Brenley: a compound of trendy syllables or Brinley variation? It's totally up to you. It was chosen by American Idol contestant Triston Harper and his wife Paris Reed for their daughter in 2025.

An English surname originally denoting someone living near a farmstead in the forest. Makes a sweet and unusual addition to the -ley name family.

The most feminine way to spell Bentley.

An English surname used mononymously by the American singer-songwriter and record producer Breland (born Daniel Gerard Breland), who could certainly boost his cool name into the limelight.

Variation of Hartley.

Often seen as a part of Arabic place names, such as Rawda Island in Cairo and Al-Rawda Square in Damascus.

Ashley lost some of her substance.

Variant of Marylee

Likable Irish surname name, but bound to be confused with Clooney.

The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Huntley is among the most evenly-split gender-neutral names, while Huntleigh is virtually all girl. Huntleigh is actually more common than the original.

Variation of Hartley.