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Home › Baby Names Directory › Owsley

Owsley

♂ Boy

Pronounced OWZ-lee /ˈaʊz.li/Medium

Meaning: From an English place name and surname ending in Old English -leah, 'wood; clearing.' The first element is usually taken as a personal name, giving readings like 'Ulf's clearing.' The surname is well attested in England and in Kentucky, which has an Owsley County.Low

In 30 seconds: An English surname-name from a place: Owsley ends in -leah, 'wood clearing' (said 'OWZ-lee').
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningFrom an English place name and surname ending in Old English -leah, 'wood; clearing.' The first element is usually taken as a personal name, giving readings like 'Ulf's clearing.' The surname is well attested in England and in Kentucky, which has an Owsley County.
U.S. rank (2024)#13673 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2021
Total births (all-time)≈ 25

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202120172024

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

Owsley is an English place name turned surname, ending in Old English leah, 'wood; clearing.' The first element is generally taken as a personal name, giving glosses like 'Ulf's clearing,' though the reading is not certain. Carried to America, it named Owsley County, Kentucky, and now works as a crisp surname-style first name (said 'OWZ-lee').

In the U.S. it is very rare for boys. Rare, surname-style, and distinctive.

Did you know? The -ley in Owsley is Old English leah, 'wood; clearing' — the same ending in Wesley, Bradley and hundreds of English places. Owsley County, Kentucky, carries the surname too (said 'OWZ-lee').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Owsley — English place/surname; Old English leah 'clearing'

Variations

OusleyOwsly

Nicknames

OwsLee

Famous Bearers

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If you like Owsley…

Wesley— a like -ley surname-name
Bradley— a similar English clearing name
Ellery— a like crisp surname pick
Owen— a similar O- choice in sound

Explore names like Owsley

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Owsley mean?

Owsley is an English place name and surname ending in Old English leah, 'wood; clearing' — often read as 'Ulf's clearing.'

How do you pronounce Owsley?

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

Is Owsley a boy or girl name?

Owsley is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Owsley?

Owsley is a very rare name for boys in the U.S.

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