Fun Facts About the Name Ainslie
- 625 babies named Ainslie: U.S. records list 625 babies given the name Ainslie from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Ainslie Mean?
Ainslie is a Scottish habitational name meaning "solitary clearing" or "lonely wood." It comes from the place name Ainslie in Roxburghshire, in the Scottish Borders, and is built from Old English ān "one, alone" and lēah "wood, clearing, meadow." The same place name lies behind the surname and the variant spelling Ainsley. The first element is sometimes interpreted more figuratively as "hermit," giving the customary sense "hermitage clearing," but the literal place-name sense is "solitary clearing."
Ainslie Name History & Origins
The name began as a territorial surname in Scotland. It comes from the lands of Ainslie in Roxburghshire, and medieval spellings such as Aynesley show the same Old English elements. In the Middle Ages the surname spread among families in the Scottish Borders and Lanarkshire; the Ainslies of Dolphinton were a notable family of that name.
As a first name, Ainslie is a transferred use of the surname. It appears in the English-speaking world alongside the spelling Ainsley, and it is used for both boys and girls. Unlike older given names such as Margaret or John, Ainslie did not develop as a medieval personal name; its use as a first name comes from the surname.
How Popular is the Name Ainslie?
Ainslie has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2009. Its best rank was #3,871 in 2009.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,145 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #6,378 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2023 | #6,679 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #10,408 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #8,479 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #9,567 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #7,031 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2018 | #5,623 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2017 | #5,827 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2016 | #6,668 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2015 | #5,659 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #5,995 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #4,426 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2012 | #4,488 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2011 | #6,861 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2010 | #4,307 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 2009 | #3,871 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 2008 | #7,749 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2007 | #5,711 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2006 | #5,237 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2005 | #5,604 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2004 | #5,750 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2003 | #6,585 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #5,253 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2001 | #7,735 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #8,553 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #9,277 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #10,861 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #11,836 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,087 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #11,799 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #9,347 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #7,309 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #9,692 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #10,397 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #7,318 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #9,109 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #10,225 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #8,452 | 6 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ainslie Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Ainslie's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ainslie's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.