Unisex · #137 in 2026

Oakley

Oakley is a unisex given name of English origin that is a transferred use of an English place name and surname meaning “oak clearing”.

  • English
Current Rank
#137
Peak Rank
#137 (2026)
Total Babies
18K
5-Yr Trend
+95%
👧 Girl peak #137 (18K total)
👦 Boy peak #393 (12K total)
👧As Girl Name
1913
First Year
2026
Last Year
2026
Peak Year
#137
Peak Rank
18K
Total Count
48
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1884
First Year
2026
Last Year
2026
Peak Year
#393
Peak Rank
12K
Total Count
134
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Oakley

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Oakley is a unisex given name of English origin that is a transferred use of an English place name and surname meaning “oak clearing”.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English

The Story of Oakley

As a girl name

The earliest SSA record of Oakley as a girl name dates back to 1913, when 7 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 2,147 newborns named Oakley — #137 in the national rankings. About 71% of every Oakley on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Oakley ranks #137 for girls with 2,147 births, rising sharply (+95% over the past five years). All told, over 18K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.

As a boy name

Oakley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1884, with 9 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2026: 819 births, good for #396 nationwide. About 45% of every Oakley on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Oakley ranks #396 for boys with 819 births, rising sharply (+18% over the past five years). All told, over 12K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Oakley

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Oakley. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Oakley

Phonetically similar names — useful when Oakley 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 Oakley

What does the name Oakley mean?
Oakley is a unisex given name of English origin that is a transferred use of an English place name and surname meaning “oak clearing”.
What is the origin of the name Oakley?
Oakley has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.
How popular is Oakley in 2026?
In 2026, Oakley ranks #137 among girls' names in the U.S., with 2,147 babies given the name that year.
When was Oakley most popular?
Oakley reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #137 that year with 2,147 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Oakley most popular?
Oakley has historically been most popular in Utah, Wyoming, West Virginia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Oakley.
Is Oakley a unisex name?
Yes — Oakley is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 59% of Oakleys assigned female and 41% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Oakley?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Oakley include Alta, Cassie, Irma. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Oakley?
Common variants and related forms of Oakley include Oaklee, Oakleigh. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

About the name Oakley

Oakley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1913 and has accumulated 18K births in the dataset. Oakley's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #137. Use the chart and map above to compare Oakley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.