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Tinsley

♀ Girl

Pronounced TINZ-lee /ˈtɪnz.liː/Low

Meaning: Tynni's meadow or clearingLow

In 30 seconds: Tinsley is an English surname turned given name, from a place in Yorkshire meaning Tynni's meadow or clearing. It has a preppy, Southern American flavor and fits the popular trend of -sley surname names.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningTynni's meadow or clearing

U.S. rank (2025)#1112 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births213 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2020

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,654

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

Tinsley derives from the Old English place name Tineslawe, meaning Tynni's hill or clearing. It was a village near Sheffield in Yorkshire. As a given name it crossed over in the American South, fitting the tradition of using distinctive English surnames.

Tinsley has a particularly strong association with the American South and with prep-school naming culture. It fits alongside Presley, Ainsley, and Ansley as a fashionable -sley name.

Did you know? Tinsley is a real place in South Yorkshire, England — recorded in the Domesday Book as Tineslawe — showing this fashionable American name has genuine medieval English roots going back nearly a thousand years.

Overall data confidence 90%

Behind the Name: Tinsley

Variations

TinsleeTinsleighTinsley

Nicknames

TinsLee

Famous Bearers

★Tinsley Mortimer (b. 1975)
American socialite and reality television personality known for High Society and The Real Housewives of New York City

If you like Tinsley…

Presley— Same -sley pattern with Southern charm

Ainsley— Same -sley suffix and similar feel

Ansley— Same -sley naming family

Kinsley— Same -sley suffix trend

Explore names like Tinsley

By themeenglish surname-name two-syllable place-name southern preppy

By meaningEarth / Nature

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Frequently Asked

What does Tinsley mean?

Tinsley means Tynni's meadow or clearing from the Old English place name Tineslawe in South Yorkshire.

Is Tinsley a Southern name?

Tinsley has a strong association with the American South and preppy naming culture.

How do you pronounce Tinsley?

Tinsley is pronounced TINZ-lee with two syllables.

What names are similar to Tinsley?

Similar names include Presley, Ainsley, Ansley, and Kinsley.