Unisex name · Old English
Presley
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: priest's clearingPresley is a gender-neutral name that comes from Old English and means "priest's clearing". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Priest's clearing
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Unisex
- US rank
- #225 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Presley
As a gender-neutral name, Presley comes from Old English and means "priest's clearing". It is used in English.
Presley is also a surname: the 1,999th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 17,640 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Presley on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Presley on 1 list.
“Priest's clearing; Old English, Elvis's surname”
From Gender neutral names, gender-neutral surname names
How popular is Presley?
In 2025, 1,362 girls and 88 boys in the US were named Presley.
As a girl’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #225
- 1,362 babies, 847 per million girls
- Best rank
- #188 in 2015
- Most babies: 1,743 in 2014
- Babies since 1977
- At least 31,778
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 3 per million |
| 1990s | 83 per million |
| 2000s | 354 per million |
| 2010s | 877 per million |
| 2020s | 857 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #201 | #201 | #206 | #206 | #213 | #213 | #232 | #197 | #225 | #225 |
As a boy’s name
- US rank in 2025
- #1,819
- 88 babies, 52 per million boys
- Best rank
- #765 in 1881
- Most babies: 160 in 2009
- Babies since 1880
- At least 4,945
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 16 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 17 per million |
| 1900s | 29 per million |
| 1910s | 22 per million |
| 1920s | 18 per million |
| 1930s | 16 per million |
| 1940s | 13 per million |
| 1950s | 10 per million |
| 1960s | 6 per million |
| 1970s | 9 per million |
| 1980s | 8 per million |
| 1990s | 18 per million |
| 2000s | 63 per million |
| 2010s | 71 per million |
| 2020s | 61 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,431 | #1,282 | #1,440 | #1,324 | #1,567 | #1,602 | #1,407 | #1,659 | #1,750 | #1,819 |
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 spelled like Presley
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- PaisleyFrom the town of Paisley (Scottish place name, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
- AshleyAsh tree clearing (Old English, unisex)
- BentleyFrom a surname meaning bentgrass clearing (Old English, boy)
- BlakelyDark clearing (Old English, girl)
- BradleyBroad clearing (Old English, boy)
- CohenFrom a Jewish surname meaning priest (Hebrew, boy)
- EverleighVariant of Everly, from a place name meaning boar clearing (Old English, girl)
- EverlyBoar clearing (Old English, girl)
- HaileyHay clearing (Old English, girl)
- KinsleyCyne's clearing, from cyne, royal (Old English, girl)
- KohenVariant of Cohen, from a Jewish surname meaning priest (Hebrew, boy)
- LeeClearing, meadow (Old English, unisex)
- LeighMeadow, clearing (Old English, girl)
- OakleyOak clearing (Old English, boy)
- PrestonPriest's town (Old English, boy)
Middle names for Presley
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- EdithRich in war (Old English, girl)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- AudreyNoble strength (Old English, girl)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (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)
Presley: common questions
What does the name Presley mean?
Presley comes from Old English and means "priest's clearing".
Is Presley a boy or girl name?
Presley is used for both boys and girls. In 2025, 1,362 girls and 88 boys in the US were named Presley, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Presley come from?
Presley comes from Old English and means "priest's clearing". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Presley?
Presley ranked #225 in the US in 2025, with 1,362 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Presley?
Names spelled like Presley include Paisley.
What middle names go with Presley?
Middle names that flow well with Presley include Blair, Cedar, Eliza, Hazel and Lucy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.