Greenley
A unisex name of English origin meaning "one from the green meadow".
Name Census estimates that about 213 living Americans carry the first name Greenley. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Greenley today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Greenley births was 2012 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Greenley. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
213
~ 1 in 1,609,175 Americans
Peak year
2012
22 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2023 SSA rank
#14,022
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Greenley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Greenley from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 139 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Greenley by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Greenley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Greenleys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Greenley
The given name Greenley is a relatively modern English name that emerged in the late 19th century. It is believed to have originated as a variant or combination of the words "green" and "lea" or "ley," which refer to a grassy meadow or clearing in a forest. The name might have been inspired by the idyllic natural landscapes of the English countryside, evoking images of lush greenery and pastoral settings.
Historically, the name Greenley does not appear to have any direct ties to ancient texts, religious scriptures, or notable historical records. Its relatively recent origin suggests that it was likely coined as a new name during the Victorian era or shortly thereafter, reflecting a growing trend of creating unique and nature-inspired names during that time period.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Greenley was Greenley Stevenson (1858-1919), a British artist and illustrator known for his depictions of rural life and landscapes. His name may have been a precursor to the widespread adoption of the name in later years.
Another notable figure named Greenley was Greenley Abbott (1892-1976), an American writer and journalist who worked for various publications, including The New Yorker and The Atlantic Monthly. His work often focused on nature and the outdoors, perhaps reflecting the connection between his name and the natural world.
In the field of sports, Greenley Williams (1914-1988) was a British tennis player who competed in the Wimbledon Championships during the 1930s. His name gained recognition among tennis enthusiasts during that era.
Greenley Bates (1923-2001) was an American botanist and conservationist who dedicated her life to the preservation of native plant species. Her work in environmental conservation and her connection to nature through her name made her a prominent figure in the field of ecology.
Another individual named Greenley who left a lasting impact was Greenley Forrester (1946-2010), a Canadian artist and sculptor known for her large-scale public installations. Her works often incorporated natural elements and celebrated the beauty of the natural world, perhaps reflecting the essence of her given name.
People
Greenley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Greenley as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Greenley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Greenley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 213 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Greenley going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,609,175 US residents.
Is Greenley a common name?
We classify Greenley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 215 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Greenley most popular?
The single biggest year for Greenley was 2012, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Greenley is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Greenley a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Greenley in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.