Ashly
Ashly was the 1273rd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 176 babies. Its best year was 1986, when it ranked 437th; the most babies were born in 1987 (507). Over the last ten years it has moved up 551 places. More babies were named Ashly in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Ashley) ash-tree clearing (place name) · Old English
- Rank in 2025
- #1,273 girls, up 509 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 176girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1987507 babies
- Total since 1880
- 12,301babies recorded
What does the name Ashly mean?
Ashly is a spelling of Ashley, pronounced the same way, so it shares Ashley's meaning and origin.
Ashley is an English place name and surname from Old English aesc, 'ash tree', and leah, 'wood, clearing'. Wikipedia notes that it began as a first name in England after 1860, likely in honor of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. For a long time it was mainly a boy's name; in the US it later became far more common for girls.
æsc (Old English, “ash tree”)lēah (Old English, “wood, clearing”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Ashleigh, Ashlee, Ash, Ashlyn.
See also: English names, names that mean tree, names that mean meadow, hill or valley, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ashley', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Ashley (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Ashly popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 122 since 1969.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,273 | 176 |
| 2020 | #1,782 | 111 |
| 2010 | #1,101 | 226 |
| 2000 | #947 | 225 |
| 1990 | #536 | 444 |
| 1980 | #1,339 | 94 |
| 1970 | #8,072 | 5 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Ashly, counting every spelling?
Ashly is a spelling of Ashley, a name family that ranked #163 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,273 for Ashly on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,052 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley | 1,829 | #164 | 9,818 |
| Ashly | 176 | #1,273 | 796 |
| Ashlee | 38 | #3,838 | 186 |
| Ashlie | 9 | #10,203 | 59 |
| Ashli | — | — | 31 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Ashly?
176 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ashly (0.05 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Ashly born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 48 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ashly.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ashly?
About 11,900 people born in the US named Ashly are alive today, with a median age of 30; half are between 19 and 38. That makes Ashly mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Ashly by state
How common Ashly was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Florida (2.9×), Tennessee (1.7×), Texas (1.6×). In 33 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ashly: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ashly, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Ashly
What does Ashly mean?
Ashly is a spelling of Ashley, which means “ash-tree clearing (place name)” (Old English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Ashly?
Ashly was the 1273rd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 176 babies. Its best year was 1986, when it ranked 437th; the most babies were born in 1987 (507). Over the last ten years it has moved up 551 places. More babies were named Ashly in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Is Ashly a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Ashly in the US.
Where is Ashly most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ashly was most common in Florida (0.28 per 1,000 girls), followed by Tennessee and Texas.