UK boy's name
Healey
One whose vocation involves healing or therapeutic treatment.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2012. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Healey is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Healey popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2012 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4805, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 5 births.
This profile covers 11 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2006 to 2012. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 11 living people in the UK are called Healey. 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 2013 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Healey ranked #4805 for boys in England and Wales in 2012, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 5 boys were registered as Healey.
- • About 11 living people in the UK are estimated to have Healey as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4805
2012
Births in 2012
3
Latest year
Peak year
2011
5 births
Estimated living
11
2026
Meaning
What does Healey mean?
The name Healey has its origins in the Old English language and can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is derived from the Old English words "halig" meaning "holy" or "blessed" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing." The name was initially a descriptive term for a person living in a holy meadow or clearing, possibly near a church or monastery.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Healey can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Haligalea" and "Haligaleah," referring to various places in different counties.
In the 12th century, a monk named Healey is mentioned in the chronicles of the Cistercian Abbey of Rievaulx in Yorkshire. He is noted for his piety and devotion to the monastic life.
The name gained prominence in the Middle Ages, and several historical figures bore the name Healey. One notable example is John Healey (c. 1515-1594), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs.
Another significant figure was Edmond Healey (1600-1669), an English Puritan minister and author who played a vital role in the religious conflicts of the 17th century. He wrote several influential works, including "The Reformation of the Church of England" and "The Whole Duty of Prayer."
In the 18th century, James Healey (1703-1776) was a renowned Irish mathematician and surveyor. He is best known for his work on the mapping and surveying of Ireland, contributing significantly to the development of cartography.
Moving into the 19th century, Patrick Healey (1834-1908) was an Irish-American Catholic priest and educator who founded several schools and institutions in New York City, including the Cathedral College, which later became the Cathedral Preparatory Seminary.
Throughout history, the name Healey has been associated with figures from various fields, including religion, literature, science, and education, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bore this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Healey over time
The chart below shows babies named Healey registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2012. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Healey, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2012, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Healey by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Healey 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 | #4053 | 8 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4052 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Healey
- Harry 141,693
- Henry 65,177
- Harrison 45,958
- Harvey 35,648
- Harley 22,095
- Hugo 18,779
- Hayden 12,622
- Hunter 10,350
- Hudson 9,104
- Hamza 8,564
- Hassan 5,982
- Hasan 3,599
FAQ
Healey: questions and answers
How popular is the name Healey in the UK right now?
In 2012, Healey was ranked #4805 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Healey most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 5 babies registered as Healey in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Healey?
One whose vocation involves healing or therapeutic treatment.
How many people are called Healey in the UK?
A total of 11 babies have been registered as Healey 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.