How to say it
OAK · ley
ˈoʊk.li
Unisex
Oakley
Oak meadow
What it means
English place name from Old English ac ('oak') + leah ('clearing, meadow'). Originally a surname. Annie Oakley the sharpshooter (Annie Get Your Gun, 1946) and the Oakley sunglasses brand anchor different cultural surfaces.
Oakley is an English place name from the Old English āc ('oak') + lēah ('clearing, meadow'), giving 'oak meadow.' Common across England as both a village name and a surname. Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Mosey, 1860-1926), the American sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and was immortalized in the musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946, film 1950), is the deepest English-language anchor through the surname. The Oakley sunglasses brand (founded 1975 in California) gives the commercial reference. As a US first name Oakley is modern and unisex, basically post-2010. It entered the US top 500 in 2018. Common short: Oak.
How to spell Oakley
The standard spelling is Oakley. Common variants include Oakleigh, Oaklee, but Oakley is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
Feminine: peaked at #153 in 2023, currently #156 in 2025.
Masculine: peaked at #393 in 2022, currently #454 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed August 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Annie Oakley (sharpshooter, 1860-1926) is the deepest English-language anchor; the Oakley sunglasses brand gives the commercial cue parents notice in the background.
Who's worn it
- Annie Oakley American sharpshooter, Buffalo Bill's Wild West, 1860-1926
Spelling variants
- Oakleigh
- Oaklee
Names with the same feeling
See Oakley from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Oakley mean?
- English place name from Old English ac ('oak') + leah ('clearing, meadow'). Originally a surname. Annie Oakley the sharpshooter (Annie Get Your Gun, 1946) and the Oakley sunglasses brand anchor different cultural surfaces.
- What does Oakley mean in English?
- In English, Oakley means "Oak meadow." Oakley is an English place name from the Old English āc ('oak') + lēah ('clearing, meadow'), giving 'oak meadow.' Common across England as both a village name and a surname. Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Mosey, 1860-1926), the American sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and was immortalized in the musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946, film 1950), is the deepest English-language anchor through the surname. The Oakley sunglasses brand (founded 1975 in California) gives the commercial reference. As a US first name Oakley is modern and unisex, basically post-2010. It entered the US top 500 in 2018. Common short: Oak.
- How do you pronounce Oakley?
- Oakley is pronounced ˈoʊk.li. Say it as OAK-ley, with the stress on the "oak" syllable.
- How do you spell Oakley?
- The standard spelling is Oakley. Common spelling variants include Oakleigh, Oaklee.
- Is Oakley a boy or girl name?
- Oakley is used for both boys and girls.
- How popular is the name Oakley?
- Oakley ranked #156 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.