The name Conley has its roots in the ancient Irish Gaelic language and is believed to have originated in the 8th or 9th century AD. It is derived from the words "con" meaning hound or wolf, and "lee" meaning meadow, field, or enclosure. This suggests the name was initially given to someone who lived near a meadow or field where wolves or hounds roamed.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Conley can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1014, a man named Conley O'Rourke is mentioned as a prominent chieftain who fought in the Battle of Clontarf against the Viking invaders.

During the Middle Ages, the name Conley was particularly common in the Irish provinces of Ulster and Connacht. It was often associated with noble families and clans, such as the O'Conleys of County Sligo.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the name Conley was Conley O'Mulconry, a renowned Irish historian and chronicler who lived from around 1500 to 1590. He is best known for his work "The Book of the O'Conor Don," which documented the history of the O'Conor dynasty in Connacht.

Another prominent Conley was Conley O'Rourke, a 17th-century Irish soldier who fought for the Catholic Confederacy during the Irish Confederate Wars. He was born around 1610 and played a significant role in the defense of Limerick against the Parliamentarian forces.

In the 18th century, Conley Keenan was an Irish Catholic priest who lived from 1738 to 1808. He was a prominent figure in the Irish Catholic Church and served as the Bishop of Cloyne and Ross from 1791 until his death.

As Irish immigrants began to settle in other parts of the world, the name Conley also spread beyond its homeland. One notable bearer of the name was Conley Graves, an American politician who served as the 25th Governor of Nebraska from 1909 to 1911.