Ashley
From Old English *Æsċlēah, composed of æsċ (“ash tree”) + lēah (“wood, clearing”).
Every Ashley since 1880 — 875,722 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ashley
Ashley is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #164 in 2025 with 1,829 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 875,722 American babies have been named Ashley. Its peak came in 1987, when 55,265 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ashley stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ashley year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,829 | #164 | 27 | #3,957 |
| 2024 | 2,240 | #124 | 28 | #3,899 |
| 2023 | 2,184 | #126 | 29 | #3,806 |
| 2022 | 1,865 | #154 | 29 | #3,778 |
| 2021 | 1,700 | #172 | 31 | #3,588 |
| 2020 | 1,808 | #153 | 29 | #3,656 |
| 2019 | 2,031 | #137 | 24 | #4,235 |
| 2018 | 2,280 | #130 | 34 | #3,305 |
| 2017 | 2,528 | #122 | 32 | #3,445 |
| 2016 | 3,045 | #101 | 34 | #3,300 |
| 2015 | 3,429 | #86 | 26 | #3,992 |
| 2014 | 3,560 | #87 | 40 | #2,893 |
| 2013 | 3,943 | #67 | 38 | #2,961 |
| 2012 | 4,701 | #50 | 17 | #5,270 |
| 2011 | 5,403 | #42 | 37 | #3,052 |
| 2010 | 6,317 | #29 | 31 | #3,461 |
| 2009 | 7,815 | #20 | 37 | #3,110 |
| 2008 | 9,408 | #18 | 53 | #2,405 |
| 2007 | 11,428 | #13 | 55 | #2,339 |
| 2006 | 12,353 | #12 | 59 | #2,181 |
| 2005 | 13,276 | #10 | 69 | #1,854 |
| 2004 | 14,377 | #8 | 88 | #1,517 |
| 2003 | 14,519 | #8 | 78 | #1,613 |
| 2002 | 15,344 | #6 | 60 | #1,870 |
| 2001 | 16,531 | #4 | 74 | #1,600 |
| 2000 | 18,000 | #4 | 82 | #1,487 |
| 1995 | 26,606 | #2 | 112 | #1,062 |
| 1990 | 45,561 | #2 | 239 | #652 |
| 1985 | 47,010 | #2 | 501 | #368 |
| 1980 | 7,296 | #40 | 746 | #282 |
| 1975 | 1,989 | #138 | 418 | #378 |
| 1970 | 927 | #305 | 253 | #507 |
| 1965 | 216 | #669 | 121 | #676 |
| 1960 | 55 | #1,488 | 89 | #808 |
| 1955 | 8 | #4,393 | 81 | #812 |
| 1950 | 15 | #2,660 | 57 | #904 |
| 1945 | 10 | #2,927 | 57 | #830 |
| 1940 | — | — | 49 | #905 |
| 1935 | — | — | 34 | #1,125 |
| 1930 | — | — | 26 | #1,430 |
| 1925 | — | — | 57 | #890 |
| 1920 | — | — | 43 | #1,073 |
| 1915 | — | — | 47 | #906 |
| 1910 | — | — | 7 | #1,323 |
| 1905 | — | — | 10 | #791 |
| 1900 | — | — | 5 | #1,324 |
| 1895 | — | — | 10 | #689 |
| 1890 | — | — | 12 | #569 |
| 1885 | — | — | 13 | #521 |
| 1880 | — | — | 8 | #684 |
Famous people named Ashley
- Ashley Judd Actor · b. 1968
- Ashley Cooper Tennis player · 1936–2020
- Ashley Benson Actor · b. 1989
- Ashley Tisdale Actor · b. 1985
- Ashley Greene Actor · b. 1987
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ashley mean?
From Old English *Æsċlēah, composed of æsċ (“ash tree”) + lēah (“wood, clearing”).
How popular is the name Ashley in 2025?
Ashley ranked #164 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,829 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ashley?
875,722 babies have been named Ashley in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ashley most popular?
Ashley peaked in 1987, when 55,265 newborns received the name.
Is Ashley a boy or girl name?
Ashley is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ashley rising or falling?
Ashley is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ashley?
Well-known people named Ashley include Ashley Judd (actor), Ashley Cooper (tennis player), Ashley Benson (actor).