Fun Facts About the Name Farley
- More than 1 thousand babies named Farley: U.S. records list 1,097 babies given the name Farley from 1880 through 2025. Even 17 girls received the name Farley - about 1 girl for every 64 boys.
What Does the Name Farley Mean?
Farley is an English habitational surname and given name meaning "fern clearing" or "fern wood." It comes from Old English fearn, "fern," and lēah, which meant "wood," "woodland clearing," or "meadow." The name was originally attached to places in England where ferns grew in a clearing or wooded area. As a given name, Farley is a transferred use of the surname rather than a name with a separate Old English origin.
Farley Name History & Origins
The place names that produced the surname are formed from Old English elements used before the Norman Conquest. In medieval England, people who moved from a place called Farley were often identified by that place name, and the byname became hereditary as a surname. The surname appears in various spellings over time, including Farley and Farlegh. It belongs to a large group of English surnames taken from villages, hamlets, and estates.
As a first name, Farley is a transferred surname use. It appears in English-speaking countries, particularly the United States and Canada, by the early 20th century, when surname-style given names were already established. The Canadian author Farley Mowat and the American actor Farley Granger are among the better-known bearers of the name from that period. These examples show the name in use as a given name but are not the source of the name itself.
How Popular is the Name Farley?
Farley 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 1952. Its best rank was #1,023 in 1884.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #12,552 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #10,244 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #9,184 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #7,906 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #11,302 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #12,652 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #12,899 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #7,577 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #4,248 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #5,820 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #6,683 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #6,372 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #5,015 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #6,031 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #4,315 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #5,098 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #3,548 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1981 | #5,737 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #6,576 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #3,424 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1978 | #4,283 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #3,690 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1976 | #5,885 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #4,065 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #4,833 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #4,222 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #3,027 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #2,866 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1970 | #2,546 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1969 | #2,588 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1968 | #2,137 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1967 | #2,062 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #2,264 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1965 | #1,603 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1964 | #1,755 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1963 | #1,918 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1962 | #1,350 | 34 | 0.0016% |
| 1961 | #1,285 | 38 | 0.0018% |
| 1960 | #1,496 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 1959 | #1,512 | 28 | 0.0013% |
| 1958 | #1,382 | 32 | 0.0015% |
| 1957 | #1,372 | 33 | 0.0015% |
| 1956 | #1,349 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 1955 | #1,203 | 39 | 0.0019% |
| 1954 | #1,391 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1953 | #1,342 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1952 | #1,186 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 1951 | #1,355 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1950 | #2,141 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1949 | #1,890 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1948 | #2,858 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #2,550 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1946 | #1,657 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1945 | #1,878 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1944 | #2,706 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #2,215 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1942 | #2,428 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #2,392 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1940 | #3,240 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1939 | #2,936 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1938 | #2,377 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1937 | #3,008 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1936 | #3,286 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1935 | #2,168 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1934 | #2,454 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1933 | #2,603 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1932 | #2,702 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1930 | #3,396 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1929 | #3,696 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1928 | #3,179 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1927 | #2,580 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1926 | #3,863 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #2,485 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1923 | #3,591 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1922 | #2,879 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1921 | #2,695 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1920 | #2,255 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1919 | #2,747 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1918 | #2,197 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1917 | #2,214 | 13 | 0.0014% |
| 1916 | #2,434 | 11 | 0.0012% |
| 1915 | #2,914 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1913 | #2,978 | 5 | 0.0010% |
| 1884 | #1,023 | 5 | 0.0044% |
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.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with F
How the Name Farley Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are kind, home-loving, hospitable and friendly. Since you take responsibility well, you are a good organizer of social affairs. Compassion for others is an outstanding trait. You are a great lover and a great flirt – an artist, musician, actor, teacher, nurse. Your character can be contradictory. You are practical, yet idealistic and intuitive; capable of selfless devotion to someone you love, yet look to receive payback. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Farley's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Farley's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.