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Halsey

♀ Girl

Halsey Pronunciation

Halsey is pronounced HAWL-zee /ˈhɔl.zi/High

Meaning: From an English surname and place name, variously derived as 'hallowed island', 'Hals's island', or 'neck of land'Low

In 30 seconds: A Brooklyn street, a World War II admiral, and a pop star walk into a name: Halsey is an English island-surname that music made feminine. The singer built hers as an anagram of Ashley.

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Origin MediumEnglish, American

MeaningFrom an English surname and place name, variously derived as 'hallowed island', 'Hals's island', or 'neck of land'

U.S. rank (2024)#3455 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births45 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2021

Total births (all-time)≈ 508

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

History & Origin

Halsey is an English surname from place names parsed variously as 'hallowed island', 'Hals's island', or a 'neck' of land — etymologists disagree. America knows it through Fleet Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey of the Pacific war and, since the 2010s, through the singer Halsey, whose anagrammed stage name pulled the surname toward girls.

As a girls' given name it is a recent, rare adoption riding both the surname trend and the star's fame. It reads salty, urban, and slightly mythic — an island name for landlocked kids.

Did you know? The pop star Halsey took her stage name from Halsey Street in Brooklyn — and it happens to be a perfect anagram of her given name, Ashley.

Overall data confidence 68%

Dictionary of American Family Names — Halsey — surname origins, debated

Variations

HalsyHallsey

Nicknames

HalHallie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Halsey…

Hallie— the warm H-nickname adjacent in sound

Presley— a fellow musician-burnished surname for girls

Monroe— another celebrity-glossed surname pick

Lennox— shares the modern surname-cool register

→ See all names like Halsey

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Frequently Asked

How do you pronounce Halsey?

Halsey is pronounced HAWL-zee (/ˈhɔl.zi/). Press play above to hear Halsey said aloud.

How do you say Halsey?

Halsey is said HAWL-zee (/ˈhɔl.zi/). Press play above to hear Halsey said aloud.

What does the name Halsey mean?

Halsey comes from an English surname variously derived as 'hallowed island', 'Hals's island', or 'neck of land' — the etymology is debated.

Is Halsey a boy or girl name?

Halsey is used for both sexes; recent use leans toward girls, and this page covers that use.

How popular is Halsey?

Halsey is a rare name in the U.S., nudged by the pop star's fame.