UK boy's name
Corley
From an English surname meaning "dweller near the hazel trees".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Corley is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Corley popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4685, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 7 births.
This profile covers 43 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2002 to 2013. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 43 living people in the UK are called Corley. 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 2014 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Corley ranked #4685 for boys in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 7 boys were registered as Corley.
- • About 43 living people in the UK are estimated to have Corley as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4685
2013
Births in 2013
3
Latest year
Peak year
2006
7 births
Estimated living
43
2026
Meaning
What does Corley mean?
The name Corley is believed to have originated from the Old English word "cor," which means a small valley or a hollow. It is thought to have been derived from the Olde English surname "atte Cor-leye," which translates to "dweller at the small valley."
This name was most likely first used as a surname in England during the medieval period, particularly in areas with small valleys or hollows in the landscape. It was commonly used to identify people based on their place of residence or the geographic features near where they lived.
While there are no definitive records of the name Corley appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it may have been used informally as a given name during the Middle Ages in certain regions of England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Corley being used as a first name dates back to the late 16th century. In 1592, a man named Corley Hollingworth was born in Lancashire, England.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the first name Corley, including:
1. Corley Courtney (1808-1857), an English politician and Member of Parliament for East Cornwall. 2. Corley Salters (1839-1904), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. 3. Corley Phillips (1894-1971), an American artist known for his impressionist landscape paintings. 4. Corley Byford (1909-1993), a British author and historian who wrote extensively about the English Civil War. 5. Corley Gibbs (1921-2005), an American jazz drummer and percussionist who performed with notable musicians like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.
While the name Corley may not be as widespread as some other names, it has a rich history rooted in the English language and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Corley over time
The chart below shows babies named Corley registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Corley, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Corley by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Corley was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3449 | 16 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3180 | 27 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Corley
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Corley: questions and answers
How popular is the name Corley in the UK right now?
In 2013, Corley was ranked #4685 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Corley most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 7 babies registered as Corley in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Corley?
From an English surname meaning "dweller near the hazel trees".
How many people are called Corley in the UK?
A total of 43 babies have been registered as Corley across the 9 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.