UK girl's name
Harlei
A feminine diminutive of Harley, it is an English name of Old English origin meaning "from the hare meadow".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Harlei is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Harlei popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4535, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 6 births.
This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2011 to 2020. 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Harlei. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Harlei ranked #4535 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 6 girls were registered as Harlei.
- • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Harlei as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4535
2020
Births in 2020
4
Latest year
Peak year
2017
6 births
Estimated living
13
2026
Meaning
What does Harlei mean?
The given name Harlei is believed to have its origins in Old English, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "here" and "leah," which together translate to "army meadow" or "military clearing." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing used by soldiers or warriors.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Harlei can be traced back to the 9th century, where it appears in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, an annual record of important events in early medieval England. In this text, a person named Harlei is mentioned as having participated in a battle against Danish invaders.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Harlei remained relatively uncommon, but it did gain some notability during the 12th century. One of the earliest notable bearers of the name was Harlei of Winchester, a monk and scholar who lived from 1110 to 1173. He is known for his contributions to the field of astronomy and his work in translating ancient Greek texts into Latin.
In the 14th century, a knight named Harlei de Montfort gained fame for his military exploits during the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He fought alongside King Edward III and was present at several crucial battles, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.
Moving into the Renaissance period, a notable figure named Harlei Wycliffe (1484-1556) made a name for himself as a Protestant reformer and Bible translator. He played a significant role in the spread of the Reformation movement in England and is credited with producing one of the earliest English translations of the Bible.
Another prominent individual named Harlei was Harlei Bacon (1561-1626), an English philosopher, statesman, and author. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the scientific revolution and is known for his writings on empiricism and the importance of observation and experimentation in the pursuit of knowledge.
While the name Harlei has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of English naming traditions, with its roots stretching back to the Anglo-Saxon era and its historical connections to notable figures across various fields.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Harlei over time
The chart below shows babies named Harlei registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2011 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Harlei, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2020, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Harlei by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Harlei 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4535 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4684 | 9 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Harlei
- Hannah 67,635
- Holly 52,307
- Harriet 24,781
- Hollie 17,902
- Harper 15,784
- Heidi 12,675
- Hallie 9,873
- Hope 9,414
- Hayley 5,968
- Hazel 5,954
- Hanna 5,735
- Heather 5,497
FAQ
Harlei: questions and answers
How popular is the name Harlei in the UK right now?
In 2020, Harlei was ranked #4535 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Harlei most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 6 babies registered as Harlei in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Harlei?
A feminine diminutive of Harley, it is an English name of Old English origin meaning "from the hare meadow".
How many people are called Harlei in the UK?
A total of 13 babies have been registered as Harlei across the 3 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.