Declining since 2001, #4,352 for girls today.
Popularity of Haleigh since 1978
Babies named Haleigh per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 538 |
| 1990s | 5,025 |
| 2000s | 6,037 |
| 2010s | 2,376 |
| 2020s | 303 |
Meaning & origin
Haleigh is a modern spelling variant of Hayley, which rose to prominence in the mid-20th century. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1978, and reached its peak rank of 4,352 in 2000. Since 2001, its usage has been steadily declining, reflecting broader trends away from creative respellings of classic names. In its peak decade of the 2000s, it was most common in Pennsylvania and Texas. Today, only about 1 in 50,227 girls receive this name, placing it outside the top 4,000.
Haleigh is a modern respelling of Hayley, itself from the Old English words 'heg' (hay) and 'leah' (clearing or meadow). The name was popularized by actress Hayley Mills in the 1960s. The spelling variant with 'ei' emerged in the late 20th century as part of a trend for creative spelling.
Where Haleigh is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Hay, Lee, Hales
Sibling names for Haleigh
Names that share Haleigh's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Haleigh
Names whose popularity has moved with Haleigh's over the last 50 years.
