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Name Lineage

    The first name Dudley

    A boy’s name from English.

    Pronounced /ˈdʌdli/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    English origin

    From Old English, literally "wood or clearing of Dudda (a personal name of unknown meaning)".

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Dudley last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 4 boys. It peaked in 2016, with 14 births (#1,704).

    01020 1996200020052010201520202025
    191
    babies named Dudley, 1996–2025
    #4,270
    rank in 2024
    2016
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Dudley with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Dudley at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 6 boys born in the United States were named Dudley, the 11,017th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1931, when 279 were.

    0150300 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    11,988
    babies named Dudley since 1880
    #11,017
    rank in 2025
    1931
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    • Dowdall

    Famous people named Dudley

    34 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Dudley R. Herschbach
      American chemist, born 1932
    • Dudley Moore
      British actor, comedian, composer and musician (1935–2002)
    • Dudley Nichols
      American screenwriter (1895-1960)
    • Charles Dudley Warner
      American writer (1829–1900)
    • Dudley Sutton
      British actor (1933–2018)
    • Dudley North
      English politician and businessman (1641-1692)
    • Dudley Bradley
      American basketball player (born 1957)
    • Dudley Dorival
      American-Haitian hurdler, born 1975
    • Dudley Field Malone
      American actor, lawyer and politician (1882-1950)
    • Paul Dudley White
      American cardiologist (1886-1973)
    • Dudley Buck
      American composer and organist (1839–1909)
    • David Dudley Field II
      American politician (1805-1894)

    More English boys’ names

    All 216 names of English origin

    Questions

    What does the name Dudley mean?
    From Old English, literally "wood or clearing of Dudda (a personal name of unknown meaning)".
    What is the origin of the name Dudley?
    From Old English, literally "wood or clearing of Dudda (a personal name of unknown meaning)".
    How popular is the name Dudley?
    In 2024, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Dudley, ranking 4,270th. Its peak was 2016, with 14 births.
    Is Dudley a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 11,988 US babies named Dudley since 1880 were boys.
    When was Dudley most popular?
    1931 in the United States, when 279 babies were named Dudley, its highest rank at 328th.
    How do you pronounce Dudley?
    Dudley is /ˈdʌdli/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Dudley?
    Dowdall.
    Is Dudley also a surname?
    Yes. Dudley is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.