Ashley
Boy name · #3955 in 2025 · Uniqueness 81/100
Ashley is currently the #3955 boy name in the United States — 27 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3982, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 66,667 boys born in 2025 was named Ashley.
Babies named Ashley per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Ashley first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1980, when 746 boys were named Ashley — good for #281 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ashley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ashley in class?
Ashley scores 81 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Ashley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Ashley is most common
State-level data for Ashley is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Ashley
Statistically, parents drawn to Ashley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Courtney, Geoffrey, Dusty, Donny, and Antwan.
CourtneyGeoffreyDustyDonnyAntwanJamaalClintAlfonzo
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ashley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | #3949 |
| 2024 | 28 | #3896 |
| 2023 | 29 | #3802 |
| 2022 | 29 | #3774 |
| 2021 | 31 | #3582 |
| 2020 | 29 | #3653 |
| 2019 | 24 | #4230 |
| 2018 | 34 | #3301 |
| 2017 | 32 | #3440 |
| 2016 | 34 | #3293 |
| 2015 | 26 | #3982 |
| 2014 | 40 | #2885 |
| 2013 | 38 | #2955 |
| 2012 | 17 | #5256 |
| 2011 | 37 | #3046 |
| 2010 | 31 | #3453 |
| 2009 | 37 | #3105 |
| 2008 | 53 | #2405 |
| 2007 | 55 | #2337 |
| 2006 | 59 | #2176 |
| 2005 | 69 | #1854 |
| 2004 | 88 | #1516 |
| 2003 | 78 | #1611 |
| 2002 | 60 | #1869 |
| 2001 | 74 | #1600 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ashley a popular boy name?
Ashley ranked #3955 among boys in 2025 with 27 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3982.
When was the name Ashley most popular?
Ashley peaked in 1980, when 746 American boys received the name (ranked #281 that year). Since 1980 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ashley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 66,667 newborn American boys was named Ashley. It scores 81/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.