Holding steady.
Popularity of Farley since 1884
Babies named Farley per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1952, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Farley's real moment was 1884.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5 |
| 1890s | 0 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 61 |
| 1920s | 85 |
| 1930s | 77 |
| 1940s | 113 |
| 1950s | 309 |
| 1960s | 219 |
| 1970s | 93 |
| 1980s | 73 |
| 1990s | 19 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 5 |
| 2020s | 21 |
Meaning & origin
Farley is a rare English given name with an old-fashioned charm. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1884, which was also its peak year, though exact rank is unavailable. Since then, the name has remained stable at very low usage, never breaking into the top 1000. With no top states on record, Farley is a distinctive choice for parents seeking a surname-style name that feels both rugged and gentle.
Farley is derived from an English surname, which itself comes from various place names in England. The elements are typically Old English 'fearn' (fern) or 'far' (bull) combined with 'leah' (clearing or meadow), so the meaning could be 'fern clearing' or 'bull clearing'. As a given name, Farley saw modest use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but never entered widespread popularity.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Far
Sibling names for Farley
Names that share Farley's style, for a brother or sister.
