Declining since 2012.
Popularity of Hurley since 1881
Babies named Hurley per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1919, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Hurley's real moment was 1896.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 36 |
| 1890s | 74 |
| 1900s | 76 |
| 1910s | 287 |
| 1920s | 406 |
| 1930s | 395 |
| 1940s | 338 |
| 1950s | 276 |
| 1960s | 148 |
| 1970s | 93 |
| 1980s | 69 |
| 1990s | 25 |
| 2000s | 93 |
| 2010s | 204 |
| 2020s | 61 |
Meaning & origin
Hurley is a rare given name that saw its peak usage in 1896, when it ranked highest in the United States for boys. According to Social Security data, it was first recorded in 1881 and has experienced a falling trajectory since 2012, with no recorded births in 2025. The name likely originated as a surname of Irish or English origin, meaning 'descendant of Uirthile' or 'corner wood.' As a first name, it has never been common, and it has not been associated with any top states or famous bearers.
Hurley is primarily an Irish and English surname that has seen limited use as a given name. As an Irish name, it is an anglicized form of Ó hUirthile, meaning 'descendant of Uirthile,' a personal name of uncertain meaning. In English contexts, it may derive from places named Hurley in Berkshire and Warwickshire, from Old English 'hyrn' (corner, bend) and 'leah' (wood, clearing). Its adoption as a first name in the United States was rare, peaking briefly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Hurleigh
Sibling names for Hurley
Names that share Hurley's style, for a brother or sister.
