Ainsley
/ˈeɪnz.li/
Ainsley is a Scottish and English surname-turned-given-name from a place name in Nottinghamshire, composed of the Old English Annes (a personal name) and leah (“clearing, meadow”), meaning “Anne’s meadow” or “one’s own meadow.”
The surname was established in Scotland, where it became associated with several families. As a given name it was adopted first for boys and then—through the surname-name trend—increasingly for girls from the 1990s onward.
Ainsley peaked at No. 332 in 2013 with 974 births. In 2024 it ranks No. 706 with 397 births, declining gradually from its early 2010s high.
What the name Ainsley means
British TV chef Ainsley Harriott (born 1957) gave the name visibility in the UK. In the US, the name is associated primarily with the feminine form, part of the -ley and -sley name wave.
Three syllables—AINZ-lee—feel confident and clean. The distinctive -ns- cluster at the start sets it apart from more common -ley names, giving it a slightly crisper sound.
Parents who choose Ainsley often want a surname-name with a Scottish or British flavor, standing apart from the more common Ashley or Kinsley while sounding naturally familiar.
Variant spellings include Ainslee, Ainsleigh, and Ainslie, the last being the most common Scottish form.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Ainsley
Ainsley - similar names
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