Morley
Morley is both a surname and a given name. The name is toponymic, derived from several places in the United Kingdom —from the Old English words "mor" ("marsh"), and "le-ah". Notable people with the name include:
- English
Meaning & Origin of Morley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Morley is both a surname and a given name. The name is toponymic, derived from several places in the United Kingdom —from the Old English words "mor" ("marsh"), and "le-ah". Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Morley
As a girl name
Morley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1925, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 8 Morleys were born — ranking #11,138 that year. As of 2026, Morley ranks #13,427 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 48 Morleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Morley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1909, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 19 Morleys were born — ranking #1,767 that year. As of 2026, Morley ranks #11,037 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 518 Morleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Morley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Morley is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Morley
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About the name Morley
Morley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1909 and has accumulated 518 births in the dataset. Morley's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #1,767. Use the chart and map above to compare Morley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.