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Home › Baby Names Directory › Bentley

Bentley

♂ Boy

Pronounced BENT-lee /ˈbɛnt.li/High

Meaning: Clearing covered with bent grass; from the place nameHigh

In 30 seconds: A surnames-as-first-names hit with an aristocratic edge. From an Old English place name meaning 'bent-grass clearing,' it also carries strong luxury-brand associations.
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Origin HighOld English
MeaningClearing covered with bent grass; from the place name
U.S. rank (2025)#215 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births1,649 boys (0.10% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2012
Total births (all-time)≈ 59,985

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201218902025

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

Bentley is an English surname derived from place names in several English counties. The Old English components are beonet ('bent grass') and leah ('woodland clearing'). As a given name it began appearing on American birth certificates in the late 20th century as part of the wider trend of using upper-class British surnames as first names.

Bentley entered the U.S. top 200 boys' names in the 2000s and has climbed steadily since. Its luxury-car associations lend it an aspirational, upscale feel that appeals to modern parents looking for distinctive yet familiar-sounding names.

Did you know? The Bentley car brand was founded in 1919 by W.O. Bentley, whose surname itself derives from several English villages called Bentley.

Variations

BentlyBentlee

Nicknames

BentLee

Famous Bearers

  • ★Bentley Mitchum (b. 1967)
    American actor and grandson of Hollywood star Robert Mitchum who became the first American to play the lead in an Indian Tamil-language film, Little John (2002), opposite actress Jyothika.

If you like Bentley…

Beckham— another surname-style name with a celebrity polish
Brayden— trendy two-syllable boy's name ending in -en/-ley
Lincoln— presidential surname used as a first name with a strong feel
Barrett— sophisticated English surname-turned-first-name

Frequently Asked

What does the name Bentley mean?

Bentley is an Old English surname meaning 'clearing covered with bent grass,' derived from English place names.

How do you pronounce Bentley?

It's pronounced BENT-lee (/ˈbɛnt.li/) — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Bentley a boy or girl name?

Bentley is predominantly used as a boy's name in the United States.

How popular is Bentley?

Bentley has been climbing the U.S. charts since the 2000s, now consistently ranking in the top 200 boys' names.

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