Home › Baby Names Directory › Hailey

Hailey

♀ Girl

Pronounced HAY-lee /ˈheɪ.li/High

Meaning: Hay meadow; from Old English heg (hay) + leah (woodland clearing, meadow)High

In 30 seconds: An Old English place name and surname meaning 'hay meadow,' Hailey surged into the U.S. top 10 girls' names in the early 2000s and has remained a popular American choice.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighOld English
MeaningHay meadow; from Old English heg (hay) + leah (woodland clearing, meadow)
Peak year2003
Total births (all-time)≈ 156,942

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200319632017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Hailey is a variant spelling of Haley or Hayley, which derive from an Old English place name and surname meaning 'hay meadow,' from heg (hay) and leah (clearing, meadow).

The name was popularized in the United States in the 1990s and 2000s, climbing quickly to the top 10. Multiple spellings — Hailey, Haley, Hayley — are all common.

Did you know? Halley's Comet — named after astronomer Edmond Halley — shares the same sound as this name; Hailey is sometimes said to evoke 'comet' even though the etymologies are unrelated.

Variations

HaleyHayleyHaleighHailee

Nicknames

HaleLee

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hailey…

Kaylee— two-syllable -lee name with the same breezy American popularity
Paisley— surname-turned-girls'-name with the same modern -ley sound
Bailey— Old English surname name with the same meadow-and-clearning feel
Riley— Irish surname name with the same two-syllable American chart-topping trajectory

Frequently Asked

What does the name Hailey mean?

Hailey is an Old English place name and surname meaning 'hay meadow,' from heg (hay) and leah (clearing).

How do you pronounce Hailey?

It is said HAY-lee /ˈheɪ.li/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Hailey a boy or girl name?

Hailey is used almost exclusively as a girl's name.

How popular is Hailey?

Hailey (and its alternate spellings) was in the U.S. top 10 girls' names in the early 2000s and remains in the top 100.