Haley Girl

Popularity: #644 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: HAY-lee //ˈheɪli//

Origin: English; Irish

Meaning: English: hay clearing; Irish: hero

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Haley has its roots in Old English, deriving from the elements "hay" meaning "hay" or "hay clearing" and "leah" meaning "woodland" or "clearing." This etymology suggests a geographical origin, referring to a meadow or clearing where hay was harvested. The name appears in various forms, including Hailey and Haleigh, and has evolved through Middle English before entering modern usage.

The transition into English can be traced back to the medieval period, where it was used as a surname before becoming a given name. Historically, the name Haley gained prominence in the 20th century, although its usage can be linked to earlier figures.

Notably, it is associated with the surname of the English poet and playwright John Milton, who lived in the 17th century. The name also appears in various historical documents and records, often linked to English nobility and landowners.

The use of Haley as a first name became more widespread in the United States during the late 20th century, influenced by cultural shifts and the popularity of similar-sounding names. Culturally, the name Haley has been embraced in various contexts, often symbolizing nature and pastoral life due to its etymological roots.

The name has been associated with qualities such as warmth and nurturing, reflecting its connection to the earth and agriculture. Diminutive forms like Hayley have also emerged, further enriching the name's cultural tapestry.

Overall, Haley embodies a blend of historical significance and natural imagery, contributing to its lasting appeal.

Famous people named Haley

In this section, you will find notable people named Haley. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Haley who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Haley who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Haley Joel Osment is an actor best known for The Sixth Sense, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and Tusk.

Haley Reinhart is a singer and songwriter best known for American Idol, Listen Up!, and Better.

Haley Bennett is an actress and singer best known for The Girl on the Train, The Magnificent Seven, and Swallow.

Haley Atwell is an actress best known for Captain America: The First Avenger, Agent Carter, and Avengers: Endgame.

Haley Kiyoko is a singer, songwriter, and actress best known for her role in Lemonade Mouth, and for her music career including the song.

Fictional characters named Haley

The following list of fictional characters named Haley is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Haley James Scott is a fictional character from the TV series One Tree Hill. She is a talented musician and a central figure in the lives of her friends and family throughout the series.

Haley is a fictional character from the video game series Life is Strange. They are a significant character who navigates complex relationships and emotional challenges in a supernatural setting.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Haley, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

HannahHarperHeidiHollyHazelHope

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Haley. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

KayleeRileyMileyBaileyKylieAileySadieShelby

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Haley was first seen in the United States in 1890.

Haley has ranked as high as #71 nationally, which occurred in 2000, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Ohio, Florida, and Georgia.

In the past 5 years the name Haley has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Haley is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Haley was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Haley.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 314 0 314
2024 363 0 363
2023 426 0 426
2022 496 0 496
2021 548 0 548
2020 587 0 587
2019 689 0 689
2018 808 0 808
2017 950 6 944
2016 1,011 0 1,011
2015 1,135 0 1,135
2014 1,234 0 1,234
2013 1,415 5 1,410
2012 1,711 0 1,711
2011 1,964 5 1,959
2010 1,993 5 1,988
2009 2,631 6 2,625
2008 3,351 9 3,342
2007 4,208 8 4,200
2006 4,308 10 4,298
2005 5,144 16 5,128
2004 5,775 47 5,728
2003 7,216 18 7,198
2002 7,480 23 7,457
2001 8,039 28 8,011
2000 9,100 31 9,069
1999 8,226 24 8,202
1998 7,954 20 7,934
1997 8,706 19 8,687
1996 9,072 30 9,042
1995 8,228 20 8,208
1994 7,825 22 7,803
1993 7,659 41 7,618
1992 6,063 23 6,040
1991 4,484 21 4,463
1990 3,220 20 3,200
1989 2,383 21 2,362
1988 2,021 17 2,004
1987 1,572 15 1,557
1986 1,297 19 1,278
1985 1,398 20 1,378
1984 1,003 12 991
1983 927 8 919
1982 1,037 13 1,024
1981 778 5 773
1980 502 12 490
1979 525 14 511
1978 518 0 518
1977 469 7 462
1976 117 0 117
1975 110 0 110
1974 129 0 129
1973 98 0 98
1972 88 0 88
1971 92 7 85
1970 78 5 73
1969 70 0 70
1968 73 5 68
1967 52 0 52
1966 44 0 44
1965 43 0 43
1964 39 0 39
1963 30 7 23
1962 27 6 21
1961 16 0 16
1960 5 5 0
1959 6 6 0
1958 6 0 6
1957 5 5 0
1956 7 7 0
1954 6 6 0
1953 12 6 6
1952 5 5 0
1949 10 5 5
1948 8 8 0
1947 6 6 0
1945 6 6 0
1944 11 6 5
1943 15 8 7
1942 5 0 5
1939 5 0 5
1938 5 0 5
1937 6 6 0
1936 5 5 0
1935 12 0 12
1933 6 6 0
1932 5 0 5
1931 7 7 0
1930 12 6 6
1929 10 10 0
1928 11 6 5
1927 11 0 11
1926 11 6 5
1925 12 5 7
1924 21 9 12
1923 21 8 13
1922 11 0 11
1921 8 0 8
1920 15 9 6
1919 14 6 8
1918 16 11 5
1917 7 0 7
1916 16 7 9
1915 14 0 14
1914 9 0 9
1913 6 0 6
1910 12 0 12
1908 6 0 6
1907 6 0 6
1906 5 0 5
1904 10 0 10
1900 5 0 5
1899 5 0 5
1897 9 0 9
1895 8 0 8
1894 5 0 5
1893 7 0 7
1891 5 0 5
1890 6 0 6

Top States for Haley (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 40
12%
CA 35
11%
FL 24
7%
NY 22
7%
PA 19
6%
IL 17
5%
OH 15
5%
NJ 14
4%
MI 13
4%
GA 12
4%
WA 12
4%
MN 10
3%
VA 10
3%
AZ 8
2%
MA 8
2%
MD 8
2%
IN 7
2%
CT 7
2%
TN 7
2%
NC 6
2%
AL 5
2%
WI 5
2%
KY 5
2%
LA 5
2%
CO 5
2%
SC 5
2%