Hurley
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Hurley is an Old English name meaning “woodland clearing”. It is a uncommon name, overwhelmingly used for boys, with 98.89% male usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Hurley
Hurley is a name originating from Old English and Gaelic roots that primarily functions as a surname. The English form derives from the elements hyrne, meaning corner, and leah, meaning woodland or clearing, describing a specific geographic location. The Irish variant represents an anglicization of the clan name Ó hUirthile, which is rooted in ancient Gaelic patronymics.
Meaning Comments
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Gender Usage of the Name Hurley
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Hurley is overwhelmingly used as a name for boys. Approximately 98.89% of recorded bearers are male. This classification is supported by a large number of recorded bearers.
Popularity of the Name Hurley
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Hurley is listed under Uncommon Boy Names worldwide. Its popularity varies considerably across the available regional markets, with the strongest usage in Australia.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Rare | 1 in every 11.6M births |
| United Kingdom | Uncommon | 1 in every 3.43M births |
| Canada | Uncommon | 1 in every 1.79M births |
| Australia | Common | 1 in every 246K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Hurley was last recorded at #8,192 on the Popular Boys’ Names Worldwide List (2022) and has not appeared in the latest official-year lists for major markets.
Historically, its best recorded position was #819 in 1919. Its lowest recorded position was #10,257 in 2007. Over the last 9 years (2013–2022) the name rose 512 places (from #8,704 to #8,192).
Characteristics of the Name Hurley
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Boy Names
- Length
- 6 letters — Medium-Length Boy Names
- Starts with
- H — Boy Names Starting with H
- Ends with
- y — Boy Names Ending in “y”
Name AestheticMethodology
Hurley is a two-syllable name with a rolling initial consonant and a relaxed terminal sound. There is no specific, widely recognized historical or fictional entity associated with this name. Its informal and approachable rhythm yields a Free-Spirited & Boho aesthetic.
Middle Names For Hurley
Middle names used with HurleyMethodology
Hurley is most frequently used with these boy middle names: Hurley Bernard · Hurley Ben · Hurley Ray · Hurley Thomas · Hurley JamesView all 40 boy middle names.
- Total 61 middle names used with Hurley
- 8 girl middle names used with Hurley
- 12 unisex middle names used with Hurley
Middle name suggestions for HurleyMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Hurley is most frequently associated with boy middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “d”.
Examples: Hurley David · Hurley Devon · Hurley Dylan · Hurley Derek · Hurley Dewey. View all 140 suggested middle names.
Names Similar to Hurley
Sound Like Hurley Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Harrell · Harrel · Huriel · View all 9 names
Spelled Like Hurley Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Herley
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Henry · Jose · Harold · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Hurley Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Anthony · Timothy · Jeffrey · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Robert · Michael · William · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Hurley”
Dictionary Meaning of "Hurley"Methodology
A surname from Irish, an anglicization of Ó hUirthile
An Irish surname, a variant of Herlihy
An English surname from Old English, a variant of Harley
A locale in England. Probably from Old English hyrne (“corner, hirn”) + lēah (“woodland; clearing”).
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- A village and civil parish in Windsor and Maidenhead borough, Berkshire (OS grid ref SU8283).
- A village in Kingsbury parish, North Warwickshire district, Warwickshire (OS grid ref SP2495).
A locale in the United States
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- An unincorporated community in Cherokee County, Alabama; named for early settler Edmund Hurley.
- A census-designated place in Jackson County, Mississippi.
- A minor city in Stone County, Missouri.
- A town in Grant County, New Mexico.
- A town and census-designated place therein, in Ulster County, New York; likely named for the village in Berkshire.
- A minor city in Turner County, South Dakota; named for railroad engineer R. E. Hurley.
- An unincorporated community in Buchanan County, Virginia; probably named for early settler Samuel Robert Hurley.
- A city, the county seat of Iron County, Wisconsin; named for attorney M. A. Hurley.
Alternative Forms
O'Hurley.
More Info
How to Spell Hurley in ASL
- H
- u
- r
- l
- e
- y
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