Do you prefer Ashley, Ashleigh or , Ashlee? - Baby Names | Forums | What to Expect | Page 2 (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Ashlee and Ashley? ›

Ashlee is a variation of the incredibly popular name of Ashley. With English origins, Ashlee, and most forms of the name, means “ash-tree meadow” or “ash-tree clearing.” Way back in 1991, Ashley was number four on the baby name charts for girls.

When Ashley was mainly in use as a masculine name, Ashleigh was sometimes used as a feminine variation. Now it is merely an alternate spelling, along with Ashlea, Ashlee, Ashli, Ashlie, and Ashly.

Ashley was a sensation in the 1980s and 1990s; it hit Number 1 in 1991. Ashley is still pretty but more and more parents are turning to newer names like Ashlyn and Aubrey, and spellings such as Ashleigh and Ashlea. If you hear the name Ashley in a playground today, it's more likely to be the mom than the little girl.

Ashley is a gender-neutral name of Old English origin. A combination of the words æsc and leah, this name translates to “ash tree meadow,” and is sure to help baby appreciate the beauty of nature. You and baby can spend wonderful hours together exploring the forest, climbing the branches, or relaxing under the shade.

In fact, Ashley was the most popular name on the list in 1991 and 1992, and it was number two from 1985-1990 and 1993-1995. But since 2021, none of those names were even in the top 100 most popular names for babies, highlighting how parents' approach to naming has transformed in recent years.

Personally speaking now, Ashley is a fine name. I would compliment anyone I met on this name because it simply is pretty. Yes, it went through a period of extreme popularity; yes, many girls/women have the same name. But the same can be said for every generation of a particular name.

Ashleigh is a gender-neutral name of British origin and means “ash tree meadow.” This beautifully rustic name is a testament to the strength and endurance of the ash tree. Just like its roots, Ashleigh is an old name with a long history, passing down between generations and still standing strong today.

Nicknames would be most commonly 'Ash' or 'Lee'/'Ley'/'Leigh' to shorten. Alternatively, you could have 'Ayley' or 'Ally' if you remove the 'sh'. Other suggestions would just be adding other suffixes to 'Ash', like 'Asher', 'Ashy', 'Ashwood', improvise … (that last one was).

Ashley Origin and Meaning

The name Ashley is a boy's name of English origin meaning "dweller near the ash tree meadow". It may have peaked at #1 for girls in 1991 and 1992 in the US, but Ashley actually has a long history as a male given name, as evidenced by the sensitive Ashley Wilkes in Gone With the Wind.

Ashley was considered a surname style name at the time. In the 1980s the name had a rise in popularity attributed to the female soap opera character Ashley Abbott who emerged on the still-running TV series The Young and the Restless in 1982.

Is Ashley a 90s name? ›

According to data from the Social Security Administration, Ashley was the most popular name for girls born in Texas in the 1990s.

Ashlee came along in 1976 and got as high as #112 on the charts in 1987. Today, however, sweet little Ashlee is much less popular.

Ashleigh is the feminine form of the Old English name Ashley, which means "dweller near the ash tree forest".

I agree, Ashley for a boy, Ashleigh for a girl. Hi, my one-year-old daughter is called Ashleigh. We spelt it that way because we thought that's the way to spell it for a girl, at least in the UK. I know that some of my American (female) colleagues spell their names Ashley.

Ash is both a given name (commonly a shortened version of Ashton, Ashley, and Ashlyn) and a surname. The name is gender neutral.

Spelling variants of the name such as Ashlee, Ashleigh, and Ashlie are also in use.

Ashleigh is the feminine form of the Old English name Ashley, which means "dweller near the ash tree forest".

Ashley is a unisex name that originated from an English surname. It has Old English roots and is derived from the words “æsc” meaning “ash tree” and “lēah” meaning “meadow”. As a compound name, Ashley signifies the presence of ash trees in a meadow. This connection with nature holds profound spiritual significance.