Harley
Harley was the 418th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 748 babies. Its best year was 2017, when it ranked 202nd with 1,532 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 140 places. More babies were named Harley in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning rock clearing or hare clearing · Old English
Say it HAR-lee /ˈhɑrli/
- Rank in 2025
- #418 girls, down 132 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 748girls
- Girls and boys
- 80% girls, 20% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20171,532 babies
- Total since 1880
- 71,872babies recorded
What does the name Harley mean?
Harley is an English place name, found in Shropshire and Yorkshire, that became a surname. Wiktionary derives it from Old English lēah, "wood, clearing", with hær, "rock, heap of stones", or hara, "hare". It is used as a first name for both boys and girls; the Harley-Davidson motorcycle brand and later the comic-book character Harley Quinn added to its popularity.
hara (Old English, “hare”)hær (Old English, “rock, heap of stones”)lēah (Old English, “wood, clearing”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. The second element is clear; the first may be 'rock' or 'hare'.
Related names: Harlee, Harlow, Hartley.
See also: English names, names that mean meadow, hill or valley, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Harley', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Harlow', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
Harley popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #418 | #1,083 | 748 | 199 |
| 2020 | #286 | #781 | 1,115 | 300 |
| 2010 | #431 | #564 | 717 | 449 |
| 2000 | #382 | #444 | 756 | 538 |
| 1990 | #1,114 | #589 | 157 | 292 |
| 1980 | #6,453 | #508 | 10 | 281 |
| 1970 | #7,380 | #725 | 6 | 129 |
| 1960 | — | #598 | — | 172 |
| 1950 | — | #413 | — | 265 |
| 1940 | — | #300 | — | 346 |
| 1930 | #4,257 | #264 | 6 | 454 |
| 1920 | — | #250 | — | 484 |
| 1910 | — | #259 | — | 89 |
| 1900 | — | #225 | — | 79 |
| 1890 | — | #231 | — | 52 |
| 1880 | — | #181 | — | 70 |
How popular is Harley, counting every spelling?
Harley is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #303 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #418 for Harley on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,077 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harley | 748 | #418 | 4,463 |
| Harlee | 237 | #1,048 | 1,474 |
| Harlie | 70 | #2,520 | 441 |
| Harli | 22 | #5,616 | 145 |
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 Harley?
748 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Harley (0.21 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Harley 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 11 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Harley.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Harley?
About 30,800 people born in the US named Harley are alive today, with a median age of 15; half are between 8 and 25. That makes Harley 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.
Harley by state
How common Harley was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Idaho (2.4×), Nevada (2.4×), Arkansas (2.3×), West Virginia (2.3×), Missouri (1.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in North Dakota, South Dakota, Massachusetts.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Harley: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Harley, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Harley · Sibling names for Harley
Questions about the name Harley
What does Harley mean?
Harley is usually explained as “rock clearing or hare clearing”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.
How popular is the name Harley?
Harley was the 418th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 748 babies. Its best year was 2017, when it ranked 202nd with 1,532 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 140 places. More babies were named Harley in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Harley a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 80% girls, 20% boys given the name Harley in the US.
Where is Harley most popular?
In 2021–2025, Harley was most common in Idaho (1.34 per 1,000 girls), followed by Nevada and Arkansas.