Whitley Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Whitley is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Whitley?
Whitley is spelled W-H-I-T-L-E-Y. The name has 7 letters.
Whitley at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Whitley is derived from Old English elements meaning “white” and “meadow” or “clearing.”
- Origin
- Whitley may derive from Old English place names describing a clearing or meadow that is white or pale, often referring to physical characteristics of the…
- Pronunciation
- WIT-lee · 2 syllables
Whitley Popularity in 2025
Rank#675
Recorded Births420
Rank#1,808
Recorded Births88
- Girls usage rose 9 places to #675 and recorded 3 more births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage rose 189 places to #1,808 and recorded 11 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Whitley Mean?
Whitley is derived from Old English elements meaning “white” and “meadow” or “clearing.”
Origin: Whitley may derive from Old English place names describing a clearing or meadow that is white or pale, often referring to physical characteristics of the landscape such as light-colored soil or vegetation.
How Do You Pronounce Whitley?
PronunciationWIT-lee
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Whitley?
- History
- Whitley has been historically used as a surname in English-speaking regions and is associated with various English localities recorded in historical documents.
Whitley Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 420 | #675 |
| 2025 | Boys | 88 | #1,808 |
| 2024 | Girls | 417 | #684 |
| 2024 | Boys | 77 | #1,997 |
| 2023 | Girls | 383 | #735 |
| 2023 | Boys | 79 | #1,954 |
| 2022 | Girls | 316 | #880 |
| 2022 | Boys | 63 | #2,269 |
| 2021 | Girls | 320 | #855 |
| 2021 | Boys | 50 | #2,588 |
| 2020 | Girls | 271 | #946 |
| 2020 | Boys | 37 | #3,074 |
| 2019 | Girls | 281 | #939 |
| 2019 | Boys | 47 | #2,694 |
| 2018 | Girls | 262 | #998 |
| 2018 | Boys | 44 | #2,748 |
| 2017 | Girls | 258 | #1,005 |
| 2017 | Boys | 42 | #2,840 |
| 2016 | Girls | 251 | #1,047 |
| 2016 | Boys | 33 | #3,358 |
| 2015 | Girls | 222 | #1,139 |
| 2015 | Boys | 16 | #5,507 |
| 2014 | Girls | 197 | #1,235 |
| 2014 | Boys | 14 | #5,997 |
When Was Whitley Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1988 · Girls
508 recorded births
National rank #446
1989 · Girls
480 recorded births
National rank #489
1990 · Girls
432 recorded births
National rank #547
2025 · Girls
420 recorded births
National rank #675
Where Whitley Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| OK | #143 | 26 |
| MO | #185 | 33 |
| AR | #250 | 12 |
| TN | #262 | 29 |
| WV | #273 | 6 |
| SC | #294 | 17 |
| KY | #307 | 14 |
| UT | #385 | 11 |
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| MO | #518 | 11 |
| KS | #590 | 5 |
| LA | #775 | 5 |
| TN | #1,040 | 5 |
| GA | #1,096 | 7 |
| NC | #1,144 | 6 |
| TX | #1,483 | 12 |