Hartley is a name of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hare" and "leah," which together mean "deer clearing." The name Hartley was originally given as a surname to people who lived near a deer park or clearing, or who were responsible for managing such lands.
The first recorded use of the name Hartley as a given name is believed to have been in the 17th century. However, it remained relatively rare until the mid-20th century when its popularity began to grow. Today, Hartley is still not one of the most common names, but it is recognized and used in several English-speaking countries.
One notable person with the name Hartley is British actress Emily Hartley, who is best known for her role as Lucy Beale in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Additionally, there are several places named Hartley throughout England and other parts of the world, including Hartley Wintney in Hampshire, England, and Hartley Bay in British Columbia, Canada.
In literature, Hartley has been used as a character name by authors such as Charlotte Bronte (in her novel Shirley) and Angela Carter (in her short story "The Loves of Lady Purple"). The name also appears in works by other writers, such as Thomas Hardy and Charles Dickens.
Overall, while not one of the most popular or well-known names, Hartley has a distinctively English origin and meaning, and has been used throughout history to denote people with ties to deer parks or clearing lands. Its use as a given name has grown more common in recent decades, although it remains relatively rare compared to many other names.
Based on the statistics provided for the name Hartly in the United States, it appears that its popularity has been steadily increasing over time. In the year 2010, there were only five recorded births of babies named Hartly. However, just one year later, in 2011, this number grew to eight births. This indicates a positive trend of growing acceptance and usage of the name Hartly among parents in the United States.
Over the course of these two years (from 2010 to 2011), there were a total of thirteen babies named Hartly born in the United States. While this number may seem small compared to more popular names, it is important to note that Hartly remains a unique and distinctive name choice.
In conclusion, despite its current rarity, the name Hartly has shown promising growth in popularity over time in the United States. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues in future years, potentially leading to greater recognition of Hartly as an attractive and meaningful name option for parents-to-be.