The first name Keighley
A girl’s name from English meaning “woodland clearing”, “glade”.
Pronounced /ˈkiːθli/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
English origin
Keighley means “woodland clearing”, “glade” in English.
Recorded as Middle English Chichelai in the Domesday Book, the town is named with the Old English personal name *Cyhha + lēah (“woodland clearing, glade”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Keighley last appeared in the official list in 2010, given to 3 girls. It peaked in 1996, with 16 births (#1,168).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Keighley with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Keighley at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 10 girls born in the United States were named Keighley, the 9,782nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2023, when 20 were.
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
- Keathley
- Keatley
- Keithley
- Keithly
- Kightley
- Kightly
More English girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Keighley mean?
- Keighley means “woodland clearing”, “glade” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Keighley?
- Recorded as Middle English Chichelai in the Domesday Book, the town is named with the Old English personal name *Cyhha + lēah (“woodland clearing, glade”).
- How popular is the name Keighley?
- In 2010, 3 girls born in England and Wales were named Keighley, ranking 5,707th. Its peak was 1996, with 16 births.
- Is Keighley a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 213 US babies named Keighley since 1880 were girls.
- When was Keighley most popular?
- 2023 in the United States, when 20 babies were named Keighley, its highest rank at 6,065th.
- How do you pronounce Keighley?
- Keighley is /ˈkiːθli/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Keighley?
- Keathley, Keatley, Keithley, Keithly, Kightley and Kightly.