Ashley
Boy name · #3955 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Ashley? In official American birth records, Ashley has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ashley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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 too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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
How old is the name Ashley?
In official American birth records, the name Ashley first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 8 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.