Bentley first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Bentley has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Bentley

From an English surname derived from a place name, meaning "meadow of coarse grass".

Popularity of Bentley by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Bentley is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 94% of people named Bentley being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,906 male babies and 144 female babies born with the name Bentley.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 144 baby girls were named Bentley in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 1,906 144
2022 2,177 130
2021 2,503 134
2020 2,577 115
2019 2,973 151
2018 3,268 144
2017 3,829 151
2016 4,060 152
2015 4,334 185
2014 4,778 178
2013 5,389 215
2012 5,887 247
2011 5,584 288
2010 3,775 233
2009 522 144
2008 217 93
2007 195 81
2006 170 76
2005 130 56
2004 101 45
2003 81 37
2002 70 36
2001 74 40
2000 39 27
1999 43 20
1998 31 16
1997 34 20
1996 27 16
1995 30 10
1994 27 11
1993 26 8
1992 24 13
1991 26 8
1990 26 9
1989 34 8
1988 31 13
1987 27 6
1986 26 7
1985 32 0
1984 18 0
1983 20 0
1982 29 0
1981 18 0
1980 22 0
1979 23 0
1978 21 0
1977 16 0
1976 22 0
1975 11 0
1974 18 0

The history of the first name Bentley

The name Bentley has its roots in the Old English language, originating from the combination of the words "beonet" meaning "bent grass" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing." This suggests that the name was initially associated with a geographical location, potentially a meadow or clearing where bent grass grew abundantly. The name can be traced back to the early medieval period in England, around the 7th to 11th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bentley appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of lands and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several places with variations of the name, such as "Benetleia" and "Benettlei," indicating the presence of individuals or families bearing the name during that era.

In the 13th century, a Benedictine monk named Nicholas de Bentley was mentioned in the records of Cirencester Abbey in Gloucestershire, England. He is believed to be one of the earliest individuals recorded with the name Bentley as a surname.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the first name Bentley. One such figure was Bentley Collingwood Woodcroft (1803-1879), an English inventor and engineer who is credited with developing the first successful rotary printing press in the 1830s.

Another prominent figure was Bentley DeForest Rotan (1850-1928), an American jurist and politician who served as a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas from 1891 to 1928.

In the literary world, Bentley Trevor Patrick (1891-1976) was an English writer and editor who worked for the Hogarth Press and was known for his collaborations with Virginia Woolf.

Bentley Kassal (1921-2015) was an American artist and sculptor renowned for his large-scale public artworks, including the iconic sculpture "Les Bourgeois de Calais" in New York City's Manhattan Plaza.

Additionally, Bentley Warren Burkard (1932-2021) was an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Burkard Family Foundation, supporting various charitable causes in education and healthcare.

While the name Bentley has its roots in Old English, it has gained popularity across various cultures and regions over time. However, its origins can be traced back to the meadows and clearings of medieval England, where the name was likely derived from the combination of words describing the natural landscape.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Bentley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bentley, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Bentley first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/bentley-meaning-and-history/.

"Bentley first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/bentley-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Bentley first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/bentley-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.