HomeBaby Names DirectoryHartley

Hartley

♂ Boy

Pronounced HART-lee /ˈhɑrt.li/High

Meaning: From Old English heorot-leah, 'stag clearing' — deer-grazed gentry surnameHigh

In 30 seconds: Where the stags graze: Hartley clears a deer-meadow in surname tweed — philosopher-poets and rom-com leads have leased it.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningFrom Old English heorot-leah, 'stag clearing' — deer-grazed gentry surname
U.S. rank (2024)#3906 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births28 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1918
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,582

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191818922024

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

History & Origin

Hartley is Old English heorot-leah, 'stag meadow' — a surname of philosophers (David Hartley) crossing back to first names.

It registers thinly in records. Rare, stag-meadow at the root, and antlered.

Did you know? Coleridge named his son Hartley after philosopher David Hartley — the stag-meadow grazing both psychology and poetry.
Overall data confidence 85%
Surname references — Hartley — etymology

Variations

HartleeHart

Nicknames

Hart

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Hartley…

Hart— the stag itself, clipped
Huxley— a fellow thinker-surname
Hadley— the heather-meadow cousin
Harlan— the companion H- gentry pick

Browse the whole category: All English names →  ·  All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Hartley mean?

Hartley is Old English for 'stag meadow/clearing'.

How do you pronounce Hartley?

It's said HART-lee /ˈhɑrt.li/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Hartley a boy or girl name?

Hartley is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a boy's name.

How popular is Hartley?

Hartley is a rare name in the U.S.