Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Hayley

Hayley is the transferred use of an English surname which is derived from a place name. The surname probably originated from the town of Hailey in Oxfordshire, a county in the southeast region of England. Hayley comes from the Old English words “hēg” (meaning ‘hay’) and “lēah” (meaning ‘clearing’). Another etymological source suggests that Hayley may also be derived from the Old Norse word “haela” meaning ‘hero’. This is plausible since many Scandinavians settled in England dating back to early medieval times. The given form of the name came into use by the 1970s and really caught on in popularity the United States by the mid-80’s. Adding interest to the name was Halley’s Comet which came blasting through the earth’s atmosphere in 1986, a rare event visible to the naked eye that happens only once every 75 years! While Hayley could be considered unisex, it’s way more common for little girls than for boys.

All About the Baby Name – Hayley

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME HAYLEY

The number Four personality is marked by stability and discipline. This is the personality that follows the rules and is conservative by nature.  They have an earth-bound energy that prefers to build things methodically on top of firm foundations; they don't cut corners. Fours take their time and don't like to be hurried. But the outcome of their endeavors is likely to result in some strong and useful structure, which makes them great engineers and inventors. Fours are anything but frivolous or controversial. This is a trustworthy, straight-forward personality that embodies dedication and organization. They are the backbone and anchor in their relationships, careers and communities. They are tidy, punctual, and full of integrity. Hard-work comes naturally to a Four and they are immensely reliable. This is the personality you can always count on.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME HAYLEY

Hayley is one of ten spellings of this ϋber-popular name now in use. The most popular spelling today is Hailey (currently a Top 25 favorite girl’s name in America). Haley is the second most popular spelling, Haylee is 3rd and Hayley comes in 4th place. To put it in perspective, a little over 50% of the “Hayleys” being born are receiving the Hailey spelling and about 5% get Hayley. While much less popular of a spelling, it’s arguably the most traditional spelling of this old English surname. Since there are so many spelling variations of this moniker, the Hayley family of names all combined make this one a Top 10 choice. As a result, Hayley (just by virtue of her sound and pronunciation) is a very commonly used and ultra-trendy name. It probably falls in the “cute” category rather than being a feminine, sophisticated or beautiful choice as a girl’s name. Many people find the name similar sounding to “halo” giving it an angelic quality.

Quick Facts

ON HAYLEY

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

542

PRONUNCIATION:

HAY-lee

SIMPLE MEANING:

Hay clearing

Characteristics

OF HAYLEY

Dependable

Solid

Practical

Hard-working

Industrious

Studious

Conservative

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Hayley

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME HAYLEY

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Hayley

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME HAYLEY

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Hayley


Popular Songs

ON HAYLEY

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Hayley


Famous People

NAMED HAYLEY

Hayley Mills (English actress)
Hayley Atwell (English actress)

Children of Famous People

NAMED HAYLEY

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Hayley

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME HAYLEY

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Hayley