Boy name · Old English
Bentley
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: from a surname meaning bentgrass clearingBentley is a boy's name that comes from an Old English surname meaning "bentgrass clearing". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- From a surname meaning bentgrass clearing
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #215 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Bentley
As a boy's name, Bentley comes from an Old English surname meaning "bentgrass clearing". It is used in English.
Bentley is also a surname: the 860th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 39,380 people. See the most common last names.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Bentley on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Bentley on 2 lists.
“Smooth, classy and reliable”
From Nicknames for ChatGPT, butler and assistant-style names
“An English place name with a polished, upscale ring”
From Boy dog names, popular boy dog names
How popular is Bentley?
- US rank in 2025
- #215
- 1,649 babies, 965 per million boys
- Best rank
- #75 in 2011
- Most babies: 5,895 in 2012
- Babies since 1890
- At least 60,027
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 12 per million |
| 1920s | 13 per million |
| 1930s | 10 per million |
| 1940s | 9 per million |
| 1950s | 10 per million |
| 1960s | 21 per million |
| 1970s | 11 per million |
| 1980s | 14 per million |
| 1990s | 15 per million |
| 2000s | 80 per million |
| 2010s | 2,338 per million |
| 2020s | 1,222 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #100 | #101 | #121 | #130 | #141 | #150 | #172 | #186 | #201 | #215 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names with a similar meaning
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
- AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
- AthenaMeaning unknown; the Greek goddess of wisdom (Greek, girl)
- DeclanMeaning unknown, though likely begins with Old Irish dag, good (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- JacksonFrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)
- KennedyFrom an Irish surname, from Cennétig, armoured or misshapen head (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- MariaGreek and Latin form of Miriam, of uncertain meaning (Hebrew, girl)
- NayeliPossibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open (Zapotec, girl)
- NolanFrom an Irish surname derived from nuall, famous, loud (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- XimenaFeminine of Ximeno, a medieval Spanish name of uncertain meaning (Spanish, girl)
- AdairFrom a surname derived from Edgar (English, unisex)
Middle names for Bentley
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
- OsmundGod protector (Old English, boy)
- OswaldPower of a god (Old English, boy)
- ReidRed-haired (Old English, boy)
- RutherfordCattle ford (Old English, boy)
- StewartSteward (Old English, boy)
- SundayDay of the sun (Old English, unisex)
- AelfricElf ruler (Old English, boy)
- ÆlfricElf ruler (Old English, boy)
Bentley: common questions
What does the name Bentley mean?
Bentley comes from an Old English surname meaning "bentgrass clearing". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Bentley a boy or girl name?
Bentley is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 146 girls and 1,649 boys in the US were named Bentley, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Bentley come from?
Bentley comes from an Old English surname meaning "bentgrass clearing". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Bentley?
Bentley ranked #215 in the US in 2025, with 1,649 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Bentley?
Middle names that flow well with Bentley include Ansel, Cedar, Ezra, Jonah and Lance. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.