Skip to content
Name Lineage

    The first name Farley

    A boy’s name from English meaning “fern”, “woodland”, “lea”.

    Pronounced /ˈfɑɹli/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    English origin

    Farley means “fern”, “woodland”, “lea” in English.

    From Old English fearn (“fern”) + lēah (“woodland”). Equivalent to fern + -ley (“lea”) and doublet of Farnley.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 9 boys were named Farley, making it the 2,440th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2012, with 16 births (#1,507).

    01020 1996200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    221
    babies named Farley, 1996–2025
    #2,440
    rank in 2025
    2012
    peak year

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

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Farley at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2024, 10 boys born in the United States were named Farley, the 7,944th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1952, when 39 were.

    02040 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    1,097
    babies named Farley since 1880
    #7,944
    rank in 2024
    1952
    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

    • Farleigh

    Famous people named Farley

    2 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Farley Granger
      American actor (1925–2011)
    • Farley Mowat
      Canadian writer and environmentalist (1921–2014)

    More English boys’ names

    All 216 names of English origin

    Questions

    What does the name Farley mean?
    Farley means “fern”, “woodland”, “lea” in English.
    What is the origin of the name Farley?
    From Old English fearn (“fern”) + lēah (“woodland”). Equivalent to fern + -ley (“lea”) and doublet of Farnley.
    How popular is the name Farley?
    In 2025, 9 boys born in England and Wales were named Farley, ranking 2,440th. Its peak was 2012, with 16 births.
    Is Farley a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 98% of the 1,097 US babies named Farley since 1880 were boys.
    When was Farley most popular?
    1952 in the United States, when 39 babies were named Farley, its highest rank at 1,186th.
    How do you pronounce Farley?
    Farley is /ˈfɑɹli/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Farley?
    Farleigh.
    Is Farley also a surname?
    Yes. Farley is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.