Fun Facts About the Name Oakley
- More than 26 thousand babies named Oakley: U.S. records list 26,725 babies given the name Oakley from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 11,373 boys received the name Oakley.
What Does the Name Oakley Mean?
Oakley is an English name meaning 'oak wood' or 'oak clearing.' It comes from the Old English place-name elements āc, 'oak,' and lēah, 'wood,' 'clearing,' or 'meadow.' The compound is topographical: it describes a wooded place or an open glade associated with oak trees. Because lēah could refer to different kinds of wooded or open land, translations vary slightly among 'wood,' 'clearing,' and 'meadow.' As a surname, Oakley is habitational, originally identifying a person who came from a place called Oakley. The modern given name is a transferred use of that surname, not a direct Old English personal name. Later use as a first name may suggest oak trees or nature, but that is an association rather than a separate etymological meaning.
Oakley Name History & Origins
Oakley started as an English place name. Villages called Oakley are found in several English counties, including Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, and Suffolk. Some of these settlements are recorded in medieval documents, including Domesday Book (1086), where their names appear in Latinized spellings. The habitational surname Oakley developed from one or more of these places; it identified a person who came from an Oakley. The surname is found in England in the Middle Ages and later spread to other English-speaking countries.
The given name is a transferred use of that surname. It is more recent than the surname and does not descend from an Old English personal name. In modern English-speaking countries, Oakley is used for both boys and girls. Annie Oakley (1860 - 1926), the American sharpshooter born Phoebe Ann Moseley, is a famous bearer of the surname; her stage name is a notable later use, not the source of the first name.
How Popular is the Name Oakley?
Oakley recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2025. Its best rank was #153 in 2023.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #156 | 1,933 | 0.1203% |
| 2024 | #157 | 1,894 | 0.1174% |
| 2023 | #153 | 1,882 | 0.1174% |
| 2022 | #157 | 1,844 | 0.1125% |
| 2021 | #193 | 1,538 | 0.0938% |
| 2020 | #284 | 1,128 | 0.0698% |
| 2019 | #349 | 908 | 0.0541% |
| 2018 | #389 | 796 | 0.0468% |
| 2017 | #475 | 658 | 0.0381% |
| 2016 | #581 | 535 | 0.0302% |
| 2015 | #614 | 471 | 0.0264% |
| 2014 | #767 | 365 | 0.0204% |
| 2013 | #928 | 274 | 0.0156% |
| 2012 | #1,267 | 190 | 0.0108% |
| 2011 | #1,445 | 157 | 0.0089% |
| 2010 | #1,758 | 118 | 0.0066% |
| 2009 | #2,178 | 92 | 0.0050% |
| 2008 | #2,528 | 75 | 0.0040% |
| 2007 | #2,957 | 61 | 0.0032% |
| 2006 | #3,357 | 49 | 0.0026% |
| 2005 | #3,632 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 2004 | #3,607 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 2003 | #4,390 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2002 | #4,151 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2001 | #6,246 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #4,628 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 1999 | #5,160 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1998 | #6,615 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1997 | #6,091 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1996 | #5,226 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1995 | #7,387 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #8,608 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #8,522 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #9,285 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #7,276 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #11,928 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #9,853 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1928 | #5,244 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1925 | #4,322 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1924 | #4,891 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #4,826 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #5,581 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1920 | #4,826 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #4,681 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1916 | #3,472 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1914 | #3,500 | 6 | 0.0008% |
| 1913 | #2,741 | 7 | 0.0011% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #454 | 688 | 0.0403% |
| 2024 | #410 | 785 | 0.0458% |
| 2023 | #396 | 803 | 0.0470% |
| 2022 | #393 | 810 | 0.0464% |
| 2021 | #403 | 773 | 0.0442% |
| 2020 | #420 | 712 | 0.0413% |
| 2019 | #442 | 690 | 0.0385% |
| 2018 | #459 | 638 | 0.0351% |
| 2017 | #479 | 613 | 0.0331% |
| 2016 | #578 | 479 | 0.0252% |
| 2015 | #567 | 496 | 0.0259% |
| 2014 | #657 | 397 | 0.0207% |
| 2013 | #770 | 291 | 0.0154% |
| 2012 | #879 | 240 | 0.0127% |
| 2011 | #997 | 195 | 0.0103% |
| 2010 | #1,276 | 137 | 0.0071% |
| 2009 | #1,270 | 139 | 0.0070% |
| 2008 | #1,688 | 91 | 0.0045% |
| 2007 | #1,969 | 72 | 0.0035% |
| 2006 | #2,054 | 65 | 0.0032% |
| 2005 | #1,961 | 65 | 0.0033% |
| 2004 | #2,123 | 56 | 0.0028% |
| 2003 | #1,978 | 59 | 0.0030% |
| 2002 | #2,536 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 2001 | #2,107 | 50 | 0.0026% |
| 2000 | #2,120 | 48 | 0.0024% |
| 1999 | #2,443 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 1998 | #2,300 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 1997 | #2,484 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1996 | #2,657 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1995 | #2,669 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1994 | #3,427 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #2,758 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 1992 | #3,180 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1991 | #4,407 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #3,420 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1989 | #5,475 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #5,094 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #4,848 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #6,299 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #6,106 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #6,014 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #4,150 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #4,063 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #3,060 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1979 | #3,994 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1977 | #6,558 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #6,219 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #3,855 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1974 | #4,490 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #4,384 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #3,099 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1970 | #3,212 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #3,506 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #3,033 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1967 | #3,457 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1966 | #4,360 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #2,578 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1964 | #2,996 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1962 | #2,165 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1961 | #2,838 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1960 | #3,021 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1959 | #2,624 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1958 | #2,759 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1957 | #2,163 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1956 | #2,599 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #2,915 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1954 | #2,398 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1953 | #2,494 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1952 | #2,132 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1951 | #2,118 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1950 | #1,416 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1949 | #2,303 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1948 | #1,923 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1947 | #1,970 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1946 | #1,373 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 1945 | #1,745 | 16 | 0.0012% |
| 1944 | #1,719 | 17 | 0.0012% |
| 1943 | #1,516 | 22 | 0.0015% |
| 1942 | #1,782 | 17 | 0.0012% |
| 1941 | #1,875 | 15 | 0.0012% |
| 1940 | #1,511 | 21 | 0.0018% |
| 1939 | #1,695 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1938 | #1,601 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1937 | #1,434 | 23 | 0.0022% |
| 1936 | #1,859 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1935 | #1,141 | 34 | 0.0033% |
| 1934 | #1,285 | 28 | 0.0027% |
| 1933 | #1,397 | 24 | 0.0024% |
| 1932 | #1,350 | 27 | 0.0026% |
| 1931 | #1,382 | 26 | 0.0025% |
| 1930 | #1,296 | 31 | 0.0028% |
| 1929 | #1,401 | 27 | 0.0025% |
| 1928 | #1,141 | 39 | 0.0035% |
| 1927 | #1,171 | 38 | 0.0034% |
| 1926 | #1,397 | 28 | 0.0025% |
| 1925 | #1,064 | 43 | 0.0039% |
| 1924 | #1,182 | 38 | 0.0034% |
| 1923 | #1,040 | 47 | 0.0043% |
| 1922 | #1,214 | 36 | 0.0033% |
| 1921 | #1,041 | 46 | 0.0042% |
| 1920 | #964 | 52 | 0.0049% |
| 1919 | #935 | 52 | 0.0053% |
| 1918 | #1,074 | 41 | 0.0040% |
| 1917 | #904 | 50 | 0.0054% |
| 1916 | #1,023 | 40 | 0.0045% |
| 1915 | #956 | 43 | 0.0051% |
| 1914 | #1,121 | 27 | 0.0041% |
| 1913 | #797 | 36 | 0.0070% |
| 1912 | #961 | 23 | 0.0053% |
| 1911 | #1,027 | 12 | 0.0053% |
| 1910 | #916 | 13 | 0.0067% |
| 1909 | #1,061 | 9 | 0.0055% |
| 1908 | #1,188 | 7 | 0.0045% |
| 1907 | #1,295 | 6 | 0.0041% |
| 1906 | #1,372 | 5 | 0.0038% |
| 1905 | #898 | 9 | 0.0068% |
| 1904 | #1,035 | 7 | 0.0055% |
| 1903 | #1,254 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1902 | #676 | 12 | 0.0098% |
| 1901 | #833 | 8 | 0.0075% |
| 1900 | #1,271 | 6 | 0.0040% |
| 1899 | #839 | 8 | 0.0075% |
| 1898 | #534 | 16 | 0.0130% |
| 1896 | #709 | 11 | 0.0092% |
| 1895 | #951 | 7 | 0.0060% |
| 1894 | #927 | 7 | 0.0060% |
| 1893 | #1,142 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1892 | #927 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1890 | #965 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1889 | #770 | 8 | 0.0072% |
| 1885 | #1,050 | 5 | 0.0046% |
| 1884 | #689 | 9 | 0.0079% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Oakley Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are patient, persevering and strong willed. You are a good student, absorbing knowledge easily and retaining it well. You are either a saint or a sinner. You tend to hold things inside and suffer in silence. You are frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Oakley's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Oakley's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.