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Ashlea

♀ Girl

Pronounced ASH-lee /ˈæʃ.li/High

Meaning: Ashlea is a respelling of Ashley, from the Old English 'aesc' ('ash tree') plus 'leah' ('wood, clearing, meadow') -- so 'ash-tree meadow'. The -lea ending revives the original 'meadow' element in plain sight.Medium

In 30 seconds: Ashlea spells the 'meadow' back into Ashley (said 'ASH-lee'), from Old English for 'ash-tree meadow'. It peaked in the late eighties.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningAshlea is a respelling of Ashley, from the Old English 'aesc' ('ash tree') plus 'leah' ('wood, clearing, meadow') -- so 'ash-tree meadow'. The -lea ending revives the original 'meadow' element in plain sight.

U.S. rank (2013)#14832 ↗ Rising

2013 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1987

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,152

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Ashlea is a variant of Ashley, an Old English place-name meaning 'ash-tree meadow'. The -lea ending is simply the original word for 'meadow' restored -- a tidy way for eighties parents to make the era's most popular girls' name look a little different on the birth certificate.

A girl named Ashlea at its 1987 peak is now in her late thirties. The name is unmistakably of the Ashley eighties; it reads dated rather than reviving, and it pairs naturally with the -leigh and -lee names of the period.

Did you know? Ashley was one of the dominant girls' names of the eighties, and inventive spellings multiplied around it; Ashlea reached its high point in 1987.

Overall data confidence 68%

References -- Ashlea — Spelling of Ashley (OE 'ash-tree meadow')

Variations

AshleyAshleeAshleigh

Nicknames

AshLea

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Ashlea…

Ashley— the standard parent spelling Ashlea varies

Ashlee— a same-family respelling of Ashley

Ashleigh— a like decorative Ashley variant

Kayleigh— a same-era -leigh/-lea girl's name

Explore names like Ashlea

By themerespelling nature place-name 1980s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Ashlea mean?

Ashlea is a spelling of Ashley, from Old English for 'ash-tree meadow'.

How do you pronounce Ashlea?

It's said ASH-lee /ˈæʃ.li/ -- two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Ashlea a boy or girl name?

Ashlea is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Ashlea?

Ashlea was an eighties spelling of Ashley that peaked late in the decade and has since faded.