Ashley (name)

The name "Ashley" /ˈæʃli/ is of English origin, from a place name and surname from the Old English words 'æsc' (ash) and 'lēah' (meadow, forest clearing).

As a given name, like most surnames turned into first names, Ashley was originally used only for male children. It was first recorded as a male given first/middle name in the 16th century and remained only male until around 350 years later. It was popularized by Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury 1621-1683 (also known as Lord Ashley). Uses of the boys' name in popular culture are Ashley Wilkes from 1939's Gone with the Wind and Ash Williams (Ashley James Williams) from the 1982 Film Evil Dead. Ashley in the United Kingdom, where it originated, is predominantly male, ranking at #40 in 1996 for boys and staying within the top 100-300 male names given each year. Ashleigh and Ashlee are the spellings more often used for females.