The first name Presley
A unisex name meaning “priest”, “wood”, “clearing”.
Pronounced /ˈpɹɛsli/ 2 syllables Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Presley means “priest”, “wood”, “clearing”.
The English surname is usually a variant of Priestley, from Old English prēost (“priest”) + lēah (“wood, clearing”). Equivalent to priest + -ley (“lea”). The place-name in Scotland may be from Pictish, equivalent to Welsh prys (“bush”) + Welsh lle (“place”).
More names that mean forest.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 50 boys were named Presley, making it the 702nd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2023, with 88 births (#456).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Presley with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Presley at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,362 girls born in the United States were named Presley, the 225th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2014, when 1,743 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
Famous people named Presley
2 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Presley HartAmerican pornographic actress, born 1988
- Presley O'BannonAmerican politician (1776-1850)
Questions
- What does the name Presley mean?
- Presley means “priest”, “wood”, “clearing”.
- How popular is the name Presley?
- In 2025, 50 boys born in England and Wales were named Presley, ranking 702nd. Its peak was 2023, with 88 births.
- Is Presley a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 36,723 US babies named Presley since 1880, 87% were girls and 13% boys.
- When was Presley most popular?
- 2014 in the United States, when 1,743 babies were named Presley, its highest rank at 190th.
- How do you pronounce Presley?
- Presley is /ˈpɹɛsli/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Presley?
- Preslee, Presly, Preslea, Presleigh, Presli and Preslie.
- Is Presley also a surname?
- Yes. Presley is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.