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Names that end in y

  1. Tanguy
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "warrior"
    • Description:

      his engaging French saint's name, pronounced like tangy, with a hard 'g,' also has a creative connection to French surrealist painter Yves Tanguy.
  2. Wrigley
    • Origin:

      Surname name
    • Description:

      A name that's long been popular for dogs on Chicago's North Side is now gaining traction among human babies. Wrigley Field is the Chicago Cubs' historic ballpark, originally named after the Wrigley Company, which made and sold chewing gum.
  3. Kody
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Cody
    • Description:

      Both Kody and Cody — shining stars of the 90s — are in decline, although more people are choosing Cody than Kody.
  4. Hurley
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "sea tide"
    • Description:

      Hurley is a possibility as a unisex surname-name ending with the "lee" sound. It is perhaps most associated with British actress Elizabeth Hurley, and is much rarer than Harley, because the "ur" sound is currently out of fashion (and the word "hurl" may put some off).
  5. Mosley
    • Origin:

      English place name and surname
    • Meaning:

      "peat bog, mouse clearing"
    • Description:

      Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of Marshall. Alternate spellings are Moseley and Mosely and the first syllable rhymes with Rose.
  6. Aeronwy
    • Atley
      • Origin:

        English surname
      • Meaning:

        "by the clearing"
      • Description:

        A less political spelling of the English surname Atlee or Attlee, borne by midcentury British prime minister Clement Attlee.
    • Elroy
      • Origin:

        English variation of Leroy
      • Description:

        Once a staple of the 1920s, like Leroy and Elwood, Elroy is languishing in style limbo now. One feature that might make it worth a second glance is its royal meaning, for those looking for a vintage twist on names like Royal and Reign. If you're in search of unique vintage baby names, this may be one for your list.
    • Issey
      • Origin:

        Japanese
      • Meaning:

        "first-born"
      • Description:

        Japanese-born fashion designer Issey Miyake, known for his techno-clothes, could provide baby naming inspiration.
    • Davey
      • Origin:

        Short form of David, Hebrew
      • Meaning:

        "beloved"
      • Description:

        Davey and Davy are frequently used for little boys but rarely appear on the birth certificate, Davy Crockett exempted.
    • Wray
      • Origin:

        Old Norse
      • Meaning:

        "dweller near the corner"
      • Description:

        A locational surname turned rare first name, which would likely be misheard as the much more familiar Ray.
    • Signy
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian
      • Meaning:

        "new victory"
      • Description:

        Signy — also spelled Signe — would make another distinctively offbeat alternative to Sydney. Signy appears in Norse mythology as the twin sister of Sigmund.
    • Huy
      • Origin:

        Vietnamese, Ancient Egyptian nickname, "shining, successful, brightness; Amon is satisfied"
      • Meaning:

        "shining, successful, brightness; Amon is satisfied"
      • Description:

        A common Vietnamese name with a bright meaning, predominantly used for boys, though occasionally given to girls. The predominantly feminine form however is Huệ.
    • Briley
      • Origin:

        Modern invented name or surname, English
      • Meaning:

        "briar meadow, briar clearing"
      • Description:

        Similar to Brielle and Riley, this name lags quite far behind these more common variations. It peaked at Number 622 in 2009 in the US, but it is now descending the ranks. It coincides with the surname Briley, a contracted form of Brierley, which might be an interesting alternative.
    • Connery
      • Origin:

        Irish
      • Meaning:

        "warrior-lord"
      • Description:

        This appealing name of a mythical king of Tara whose reign brough prosperity to his kingdom is strongly associated with actor Sean. The Irish form is Conaire.
    • Gilly
      • Origin:

        Literary name
      • Description:

        Gilly is a name that's popped up from time to time in different contexts: As a nickname for Gillian, for instance, and as the name of a town in Switzerland. But it's increasingly associated with Hannah Murray's character Gilly in HBO's Game of Thrones, whom Sam Tarly rescued from Craster's Keep.
    • Ivey
      • Origin:

        Surname name, variation of Ivy
      • Meaning:

        "son of Ive; person from Ivoy; ivy plant"
      • Description:

        Ivey can be considered an alternate spelling of the botanical name Ivy, but it also has separate origins as a surname. For the Anglo-Saxon Ivey line, Ivey means "son of Ive," while for the English-Norman Iveys, it means "person from Ivoy," a commune in the Cher department of France.
    • Tolly
      • Origin:

        Diminutive of Tolliver or Bartholomew
      • Description:

        Tolly is an antique short form that is not only jolly but makes Bartholomew usable in the modern world, when Bart is too Simpsonesque. For the adventurous nicknamer, Tolly might even be a novel short form of Oliver.
    • Zaley
      • Origin:

        Feminine variation of Zale, invented nickname-name, or short form of Azalea
      • Description:

        All baby names can be made more "creative" by putting a Z at the beginning instead of what's conventionally there: B or C or H, for instance. Zaley is an adorable entry in this group, also spelled Zailey or Zayley or Zalee. The Zaley spelling attains a measure of authenticity when seen as a feminine form of Zale, a Greek name with an ocean-related meaning.
    • Bentley
      • Origin:

        English Surname
      • Meaning:

        "meadow with coarse grass"
      • Description:

        We can't account for the popularity of this name, for either a boy or a girl, given the first syllable, the tacky connotations with a luxury car, and the range of other options which are more harmonious to the ear. Nonetheless, nearly 200 girls were names Bentley in the US in 2015.