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Home › Baby Names Directory › Woodley

Woodley

♂ Boy

Pronounced WOOD-lee /ˈwʊd.li/High

Meaning: From an English place-name/surname — Old English wudu, 'wood, forest', plus leah, 'meadow, clearing' — 'the woodland clearing'Medium

In 30 seconds: The woodland clearing: Woodley is the English 'the forest clearing'. Crisp, woodsy, and warm (nickname Woody).
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningFrom an English place-name/surname — Old English wudu, 'wood, forest', plus leah, 'meadow, clearing' — 'the woodland clearing'
U.S. rank (2025)#5591 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births17 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2023
Total births (all-time)≈ 292

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202319182025

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

Woodley comes from an English place-name and surname — Old English wudu, 'wood, forest', plus leah, 'meadow, clearing' — 'the woodland clearing'. A crisp, woodsy surname-name (popular in Haitian families too); nickname Woody.

It registers thinly as a first name. Rare, the-woodland-clearing at the root, and woodsy.

Did you know? Woodley means 'the wood/forest clearing' (Old English wudu + leah) — a crisp, woodsy surname-name (popular in Haitian families; nickname Woody).
Overall data confidence 65%
Surname references — Woodley — etymology

Variations

WoodleighWoodly

Nicknames

Woody

Famous Bearers

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If you like Woodley…

Woodrow— a fellow Wood- name
Wesley— a companion -ley surname-name
Bradley— another -ley name
Oakley— a fellow woodland -ley name

Explore names like Woodley

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Woodley mean?

Woodley is English for 'the wood/forest clearing'.

How do you pronounce Woodley?

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

Is Woodley a boy or girl name?

Woodley is a boy's name.

How popular is Woodley?

Woodley is a rare name in the U.S.

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