Motley
Motley is the traditional costume of the court jester, the motley fool. It is the costume of the arlecchino character in commedia dell'arte, the harlequin who wears a patchwork of red, green and blue diamonds that is still a fashion motif.
Meaning & Origin of Motley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Motley is the traditional costume of the court jester, the motley fool. It is the costume of the arlecchino character in commedia dell'arte, the harlequin who wears a patchwork of red, green and blue diamonds that is still a fashion motif.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Motley
As a girl name
Motley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2019, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 26 Motleys were born — ranking #4,997 that year. As of 2026, Motley ranks #5,656 for girls with 22 births, rising sharply (+99% over the past five years). In total, more than 125 Motleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Motley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2010, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 42 Motleys were born — ranking #2,960 that year. As of 2026, Motley ranks #3,389 for boys with 35 births, with steady use. In total, more than 201 Motleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Motley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Motley 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 Motley
What does the name Motley mean?
How popular is Motley in 2026?
When was Motley most popular?
In which U.S. states is Motley most popular?
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About the name Motley
Motley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2010 and has accumulated 201 births in the dataset. Motley's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #2,960. Use the chart and map above to compare Motley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- 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.