Hartley

Hartley for girls#1453 US

Ultimately deriving from a place name, it comes from the Old English words heorot meaning "stag, male deer" and leah meaning "meadow, clearing". They come together to make a name that evokes images of English parks, while also feeling stylish and contemporary.

Used by poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge for his son, giving it a hint of literary flair, the name is also a jam and marmalade manufacturer in the UK, which might put some people off.

In the US, it is now predominantly used as a girls name, given to four girls for every one boy. It doubled in use after the two celebrity-baby-Hartleys were born in the early 2010s, and is currently given to 130 girls.

Hartley for boys#4076 US

Smart and sharp but with a touch of heart and charm, Hartley is a surname style name that could work as an alternative to Harley, Harvey, Artie, or Harry. Quietly used as a masculine name throughout the 20th century, the arrival of two celebrity-baby girl Hartleys in 2010 has meant the name has been used as a predominantly feminine one in recent years. However, since 2020, Hartley has doubled in use for boys too, and was give to a modest 30 in 2023. .

Ultimately deriving from a place name, it comes from the Old English words heorot meaning "stag, male deer" and leah meaning "meadow, clearing". They come together to make a name that evokes images of English parks, and joins Oscar and Roscoe as deer-inspired choices.

Used by poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge for his son in the 18th century, it has also been borne by politician and war crimes barrister Hartley Shawcross and philosopher Hartley Burr Alexander, lending it a scholarly, academic feel. In the UK, it is also the name of a jam and marmalade manufacturer, which might be off putting to some.

If you like the idea of Hartley but aren't quite sure, there's also the simpler, one-syllable Hart, a name currently gaining attention.