Find out how popular the first name Huxley has been for the last 22 years (from 2002 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Huxley by gender

Based on the last 22 years of data, Huxley is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 90% of people named Huxley being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 451 male babies and 48 female babies born with the name Huxley.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 48 baby girls were named Huxley in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Huxley

The name Huxley has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the combination of the words "hux" meaning "contemptuous person" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing in a forest." It is believed to have first emerged as a surname in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD.

In its earliest forms, the name was likely a descriptive term used to identify individuals residing in a particular meadow or clearing, potentially indicating a connection to a specific location or settlement. As surnames became more widespread in medieval England, Huxley evolved into a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

While the name has been primarily associated with its use as a surname, there are instances of its adoption as a given name, particularly in more recent times. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the first name Huxley was Huxley Bathurst (1629-1674), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the 17th century.

Arguably the most famous bearer of the name Huxley was Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895), an English biologist, educator, and advocate of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Huxley, known as "Darwin's Bulldog," played a crucial role in the public acceptance and understanding of evolutionary theory through his writings and lectures.

Another notable figure was Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), an English writer and philosopher best known for his dystopian novel "Brave New World." Huxley's works explored themes of individual freedom, the impact of technology on society, and the human condition.

In the realm of literature, Julian Huxley (1887-1975), an English evolutionary biologist and writer, made significant contributions to the field of evolutionary studies and served as the first Director-General of UNESCO.

Lastly, Andrew Huxley (1917-2012), a British physiologist and biophysicist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1963 for his work on the mechanism of nerve impulse transmission.

While the name Huxley originated as a descriptive term in Old English, it has evolved into a distinctive given name with a rich history, particularly within the fields of science, literature, and academia.

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 Huxley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Huxley, 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!