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The short answer
Harley is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English hara ‘hare’ or hær ‘rock, heap of stones’ and leah ‘woodland, clearing’. An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1987." It ranked #418 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English hara ‘hare’ or hær ‘rock, heap of stones’ and leah ‘woodland, clearing’. An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1987. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Harley ranked #418 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #418 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Harley in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Harley mean?
Behind the Name does not give Harley a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from an English surname that was.
Is Harley a popular name?
Harley ranked #418 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Harley a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Harley appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine & feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Harley — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
