NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Ayleigh

A feminine given name of Old English origin meaning "meadow clearing".

Ayleigh is a girl's name in the UK records.

We estimate that about 31 living people in the UK are called Ayleigh. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Ayleigh ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #680 in 2018.
  • About 31 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ayleigh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

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Births in -

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Peak year

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Estimated living

31

2026

Meaning

What does Ayleigh mean?

The name Ayleigh is a relatively modern English name with origins that are somewhat uncertain. It appears to be a variant spelling of the name Hayley, which itself is derived from the Old English word "hæg" meaning "hay" or "hedged area."

Some scholars suggest that Ayleigh may have emerged as a combination of the names Hayley and Leigh, with Leigh being an English place name and surname derived from the Old English "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing." This blending of name elements is a common practice in the creation of new names.

While the name Ayleigh does not have a long historical record, it seems to have gained popularity in the late 20th century as a distinctive and stylish alternative to more traditional names. There are no known references to the name Ayleigh in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records prior to the modern era.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ayleigh is Ayleigh McGrew, an American actress born in 1984. Another notable figure with this name is Ayleigh Trevithick, a British singer and songwriter born in 1991.

Other individuals who have borne the name Ayleigh include Ayleigh Davey (born 1988), a Canadian model and beauty pageant titleholder, and Ayleigh Wren (born 1990), an American actress and singer.

While not as widely known as some other names, Ayleigh has been used throughout various English-speaking countries over the past few decades, likely appealing to parents seeking a unique and melodic name for their daughters.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Geography

Where Ayleigh is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ayleigh. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Ayleigh ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #680 in 2018.

Scotland
4

Across the UK

Ayleigh in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#680 in 2018

9 years of NRS records, 31 total registered

Related

Names similar to Ayleigh

FAQ

Ayleigh: questions and answers

What is the meaning and origin of Ayleigh?

A feminine given name of Old English origin meaning "meadow clearing".

Where is Ayleigh most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Ayleigh ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #680 in 2018. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.