Find out how popular the first name Whitley has been for the last 42 years (from 1982 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Whitley by gender

Based on the last 42 years of data, Whitley is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 92% of people named Whitley being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 383 female babies and 79 male babies born with the name Whitley.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 79 baby boys were named Whitley in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Whitley

The name Whitley is an English surname that has been used as a given name since the 19th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hwit" meaning "white" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing" or "meadow." The name likely originated as a place name referring to a white clearing in a forest or a grassy meadow.

The earliest recorded use of Whitley as a surname dates back to the 13th century in England. The name appears in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled "Wyteleye." Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, Whitley.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the given name Whitley was Whitley Stokes (1763-1845), an Irish scholar and lawyer. He was born in Dublin and is known for his work on Irish antiquities and legal texts.

Another notable figure was Whitley Strieber (born 1945), an American writer best known for his books on alleged encounters with extraterrestrial beings, such as "Communion" and "The Key."

In the realm of sports, Whitley Bay was the birthplace of English footballer Alan Shearer (born 1970), one of the Premier League's all-time top scorers and a former captain of the English national team.

Whitley Streiber (1907-1995) was an American film director and producer who worked on several notable films, including "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" and "The Farmer's Daughter."

Whitley Stokes (1830-1909) was an Irish philologist and scholar of Celtic languages. He made significant contributions to the study of Old Irish and edited numerous texts, including the Cormac's Glossary and the Félire Óengusso.

While the name Whitley was more commonly used as a surname in earlier centuries, its adoption as a given name, particularly for boys, gained popularity in the late 20th century. However, its usage as a given name remains relatively uncommon compared to other English names.

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

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

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