Home › Baby Names Directory › Paisley

Paisley

♀ Girl

Pronounced PAYZ-lee /ˈpeɪzli/High

Meaning: From the town of Paisley in Scotland; the town name may derive from Brittonic or Latin basilica (church)Medium

In 30 seconds: A fashionable Scottish place-name meaning 'church,' also associated with the swirling textile pattern. Paisley has raced into the U.S. top 50 girls' names since the 2010s.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighScottish
MeaningFrom the town of Paisley in Scotland; the town name may derive from Brittonic or Latin basilica (church)
Peak year2015
Total births (all-time)≈ 33,078

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201519662017

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

History & Origin

Paisley is taken from the Scottish town of Paisley in Renfrewshire, whose name may derive from a Brittonic word meaning forest glade or from a Latin root related to basilica (church). The town's world-famous textile industry gave its name to the paisley pattern, a curved motif of Indian origin popularized in British cloth manufacturing.

As a given name, Paisley is almost entirely a 21st-century American creation, rising suddenly from obscurity around 2010. It entered the U.S. top 100 girls' names by 2013 and the top 50 by the late 2010s. Its appeal lies in its two-syllable bounce, the cultural associations with the bold paisley pattern, and country singer Brad Paisley's surname, which raised the name's profile.

Did you know? The paisley pattern, a distinctive curved teardrop shape, takes its name from the town of Paisley, Scotland, which was a major textile manufacturing center in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Variations

PaisleePaizley

Nicknames

Paige

Famous Bearers

  • ★Brad Paisley (1972–)
    American country music singer and guitarist whose surname boosted the name's profile.

If you like Paisley…

Piper— two-syllable girls' name with the same bouncy, modern surname-name feel
Harlow— similarly fashionable place-derived girls' name with a cool retro vibe
Presley— another surname-turned-girls'-name enjoying the same country-pop crossover

Frequently Asked

What does the name Paisley mean?

Paisley is taken from the Scottish town of Paisley, whose name may relate to a Brittonic word or to Latin basilica (church).

How do you pronounce Paisley?

It's said PAYZ-lee /ˈpeɪzli/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Paisley a boy or girl name?

Paisley is used predominantly as a girls' name in the U.S.

How popular is Paisley?

Paisley has ranked in the U.S. top 50 girls' names since the late 2010s after rapid growth from near-zero in 2010.