While theoretically unisex, this surname name has been edging up the <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> list, perhaps originally as an Ashley substitute. 

One quality in Ainsley's favor: It's remained steadily popular -- but not TOO popular -- for more than 20 years now, ranking consistently around Number 400. That makes it stylish and familiar without showing up everywhere.

Ainsley

Aisley

Beasley is a fashionable yet undiscovered surname name that is particularly well-suited for baby girls. Bea is a possible nickname.
 
Beasley first made the US charts in 2018, when it was given to seven baby girls, but last year it was given to fewer than five babies so didn't make the estended list at all. The Beesley spelling — which parents may associate with Pam Beesley from The Office has never charted.

Beasley

The name of an affluent suburb of Columbus, Ohio and a section of Greater London, Bexley is increasingly being coopted by parents looking for a novel name in the Kinsley/AInsley/Paisley family. Bexley debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016 and is definitely one of the trendiest <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/b">girl names starting with B</a>. Think of it as a 21st century Becky.

Bexley

Caisley

Chessley

Daisy, fresh, wholesome, and energetic, is one of the flower names that burst back into bloom after a century's hibernation. Originally a nickname for Margaret (the French Marguerite is the word for the flower), Daisy comes from the phrase "day's eye," because it opens its petals at daybreak.

 Daisy has a colorful literary and pop culture history – as the innocent Daisy Miller in the Henry James novella, as Daisy Buchanan, the hero's object of desire in The Great Gatsby, and as many movie and TV characters, including in L'il Abner and The Dukes of Hazzard, as the older Daisy in Driving Miss..., as well as Julia Roberts's character in her breakthrough movie, Mystic Pizza.

 Meg Ryan has a daughter named Daisy True, chef Jamie Oliver has Daisy Boo, and Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom recently named their daughter Daisy Dove.

Daisy

Eisley

A unisex surname now seeing some use for girls, as it fits right in with such trendy crossover girls' names  as Everly. Ellery and Emery, and others with the popular ly/leigh/lea ending

Ensley

Esteley

This was a 100 percent <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> until celebs Jason Sehorn and Angie Harmon bestowed it on their daughter, recently followed by Lisa Marie Presley, who used it for one of her (female) twins. Finlay is also now among the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex names</a>. 
At the most recent count, Finley was given 57 percent of the time to girls and 43 percent to boys, close enough to make it one of the truly gender neutral names.

Finley

Cute Gracie is one of the more recently revived nickname names by parents who chose it over the more formal Grace--or variations like Graziella or Grania. Country singers Faith Hill and Tim McGraw cut straight to the nickname when they called one of their daughters Gracie, and actors Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt named their newborn daughter Gracie James. Gracie Gold is a popular young figure skater.
 There have been several (mostly young) Gracies in such vehicles as The Nanny, Friday Night Lights, CSI and Miss Congeniality.

Gracie

Hadley, most famous as the name of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, is more sophisticated, professional, and modern than cousins Harley, Haley, or Hayden. 

The hit book The Paris Wife, a novel by Paula McLain told from the point of view of Hadley Hemingway (born Elizabeth Hadley Richardson), has helped popularize the name, which also appears on the vampire show True Blood. Hadley could become this generation's Hailey.

Adley, a mashup of Hadley and Addie, has also appeared on the scene.

Hadley

Combine two parts Paisley with one part Hazel and one part Harley, add a dash of Hayes, and voila: Haisley.

Haisley

Haizley

Once a macho biker name, Harley is now showing its softer side. In the UK, Harley is predominantly masculine, but it's currently more popular for girls than boys in the US.
 Along with Harper and Hadley, we think it will climb even further. In England, it's associated with Harley Street, home to some of London's most prominent medical specialists.
 A famous fictional namesake is Batman's Harley Quinn, "born" Harleen Quinzel. DC Comics movie Suicide Squad from 2016 was probably part of the reason for the increase in the number of girls named Harley. Harley Cooper was a character who was introduced on the soap The Guiding Light in 1987—that Harley was named after her father's favorite motorcycle.

Harley

Islay is the name of a Hebridian island famous for its whisky. Don't be fooled by the "y" at the end - this name is pronounced exactly like the more well-known Isla.

Islay

A surnamier take on Isla. Isley may be derived from the German occupational surname Eisele (of the same pronunciation), or be related to the Old English word hesli, meaning "hazel grove."

Isley

Jaisley

Kaisley

Light and glittery, but with plenty of spirit, Kinsley has risen quickly into the US Top 100. Balanced between preppy and cutesy, it feels like a fresh alternative to Kelly, Kaitlyn, or Kimberly. 
Derived from an Old English place name, Kinsley is a modern American choice, meaning “the king’s meadow” or “the clearing belonging to royalty.” 
Used almost exclusively as a surname up until the 90s, Kinsley didn’t fully enter the mainstream until 2005. Since then, it’s climbed up the charts and is now given to 3000 girls – and to a small handful of boys – each year. 
With its crisp sounds and distinctive K initial, Kinsley has appealed to several celebrities. Ice hockey star Ryan Kesler, snowboarder Steve Klassen, the YouTuber Kaylie Varney, Chance the Rapper, and musician Travis Clark have chosen the name for their daughters. 
Other notable namesakes include the beauty influencer Kinsley Deborrah, and the heroine of The Alphabet Mysteries series, written by Sue Grafton. 
While Kinsley may rank lower on Nameberry charts than it does in the US, it has been chosen for a Babyberry! You can <a href=“ https://nameberry.com/blog/how-i-named-my-baby-kinsley-arin”>read all about her name here</a> for some real life experience of choosing it. 
A current favorite among American parents, and more recently in Canada too, Kinsley blends sweetness and spark. If you enjoy the name, but want something less on trend however, you could try Kerrigan, Keeley, Kizzie, Keziah, or even Tesni.

Kinsley

A unique combination of a surname feel and dainty femininity. It's currently associated with actress Lacey Chambert.

Lacey

One of the most feminine of surname names, calling to mind dresses and doilies.

Lacy

This spelling adds a little more femininity to the neutral Lee.  Leigh and sister Lee were quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s among the first cool wave of unisex names for girls, but now have vanished from the Top 1000.  The Biblical Leah is preferred.

Leigh

One of those names that's suddenly on the map because of a celebrity's influence, Leighton Meester of the TV show Gossip Girl. She pronounces it LAY-ton but some will intuitively say LEE-ton.

Leighton

An English place and surname with a fierce natural meaning. Loxley is a village and river name from Yorkshire, England, famous for being the purported birthplace of Robin Hood. Loxley Chase was an extensive historic forest bordering Sherwood Forest in the Middle Ages.

 Sharing sounds with cool names from Lily to Lux to Paisley, Loxley is a highly unusual option that packs a modern style punch.

Loxley

Maisie, a charming name long popular as a nickname for Margaret or Mary, entered the Top 1000 as itself ten years ago and continues to rise. Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams helped propel the name back into the limelight, along with the that of her character, Arya.

In literature, Maisie is the name of the precocious young title character in the Henry James novel What Maisie Knew, and is also the main female character in Rudyard Kipling's The Light That Failed. And to bring things up to date, Maisie is a half-blood character in the Harry Potter series. Spelled Maisy, it's a popular children's book series.
 When Maisie re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2014 at 658, it was one of the fastest rising names of that year. She's still got a ways to go In the US to catch up to other English-speaking countries, where Maisie ranks in the Top 100.

Maisie

Maisley

Could be seen as a stand-in for Riley, but not nearly as appealing. 

Niley

Oakley, with its nature name roots and its Annie Oakley charm, is a hot name for both genders but more than twice as popular for girls. This name made it into the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013, one of only four <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/o">girl names starting with O</a> to rank that high. A decade letter, it's aiming for the Top 100.

Oakley is rising trough the ranks for both genders, though it is given to more than twice as many girls as boys. It's also popular in other English-speaking countries as well as for dogs.

Oak variations Oaklynn, Oaklyn, and Oaklee are also popular for girls, while Oakes is an up-and-coming variation used mostly for boys.

Oakley

Paige is more name, and less word than the occupational Page. Paige is also sleek and sophisticated a la Brooke and Blair and reached as high as Number 47 in 2003, when there was a very popular television show, Trading Spaces, hosted by the energetic Paige Davis.
 Paige Matthews was a witch played by Rose McGowan in Charmed; Paige McCullers appears on Pretty Little Liars. Back in the day, Nicollette Sheridan played a character named Paige Matheson on nighttime soap Knots Landing.
 Paige Rense was the long-time editor of Architectural Digest magazine.

Paige

Just when we thought Paisley couldn't get trendier, this -ee suffix showed up. Although it's not our favorite, parents are choosing this spelling more and more often.

Paislee

An unnecessarily complex retooling of Paisley, one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/p">girl names that start with P</a>.

Paisleigh

With a soft sound, a preppy feel, and a unisex style, Palmer is a last name that's been climbing up the charts for girls in the US. Having entered the Top 1000 in 2018, more recent stats place it in the Top 300. More than four times as many girls received the name than boys in 2023, though Palmer is a name on the rise all round. 
 
An English surname that derives from the Latinpalma, the literal meaning of the name is "one who carries the palm (trees)". On a more symbolic level, it means "pilgrim", because Christian Pilgrims traditionally brought palms with them when they visited the Holy Land. Alternatively, it is linked to Palm Sunday, the week before Easter, when new palms are brought to churches so the old ones may be burnt in time for Ash Wednesday.
 
Palmer might work then for Christian parents wanting a modern sounding name that still reflects their faith, but it could also make a very modern honor name for grandma Pamela. Or, given its long history as a last name and its contemporary style, it could work for anyone who likes it, or for those looking for an alternative to Piper or Harper.

Palmer

Paris, a one-time mythical and Shakespearean boys' name, peaked in 2004 at Number 157 at least in part due to the highly publicized Paris Hilton. Michael Jackson used it for his daughter.

Paris

Parks is a rare member of the fashionable single-syllable, S-ending surname crowd, which includes trending choices like Brooks, Banks, Hayes and Wells.

 As well as being an English word name, Parks as a surname descended from Park or Parkin, a medieval diminutive of Peter. 

 Famed civil rights activist Rosa Parks makes for a very worthy namesake for a child of either gender.

Parks

Pascal

Surname-sounding unisex cousin of Peyton is gaining in popularity, especially for girls.

Payson

Pearlie

Like Peggy and Patsy, the kind of zesty moniker young Judy Garland would sport in her early let's-put-on-a-show flicks. It fell out of favor (and the Top 1000) for a while, but has recently rebounded by reentering the charts in 2013. Expect it to continue gaining traction as a result of surprise hit Penelope.

Penny

Perley

Makes hot name Finley kind of Phyllis-like -- which is not a good thing.

Phynley

Soft name in the Mia-Nia-Tia family, Pia is heard in both European and Hindi languages. 

An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid. 
 Associated with Tom Sawyer's aunt, 'Polly, put the kettle on,' parrots, Polly Peachum, Nirvana and Kinks songs, and the movie Along Came Polly, as well as characters in Noel Streatfeild's Ballet Shoes, C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia and now on the Netflix show Orange is the New Black, Polly never achieved the comeback that her cousin did, perhaps because she sounds too Pollyanna-ish. But although she has been off the Social Security list for decades, Polly is Number 457 on Nameberry.
 But we'd love to see some new baby Pollys.

Polly

Preppy P surname, and a potential way to honor a Scott.

Prescott

Presley is a much more popular name for little girls than you might think, entering the charts as a girls' name in 1998 and hovering around Number 200 for the last decade. 

Presley is one of a large cohort of surnames ending in -ley that are now trending as girl names, from Paisley to Hadley to Finley.

Country singer Tanya Tucker started the Presley-for-girls trend when she chose the name for her now-grown daughter, Presley Tanita.

Presley

Prestyn

A modern choice for girls riffing on the popular unisex name Quinn, with an extra syllable to add substance and formality. And Quinn is still available as a nickname!

Quinley

With its surname-style, literary feel, and similarity in sound to Finley, Juniper, Pippa, Riley, and Presley, Ripley is an unexpected choice that was given to more than 200 girls in each recent year. First used back in the 80s, thanks to the powerful character played by Sigourney Weaver in the Alien films, it began to be used more substantially in the 2000s, after it was chosen by actress Thandiwe Newton for her daughter. 
 
Deriving from the Old English rippel and leah meaning "grove" and "clearing" respectively, some might recognise it from The Talented Mr Ripley series by Patricia Highsmith.

Ripley

Rosaley

Meet my sibling, Sibley.  Joking aside, Sibley sounds more possible than ever thanks to its trendy -ley ending and the new stylishness of big sister name Sybil.

Sibley

Sisley may look like a modern coinage, building on the fashionable -ley ending, but it's actually a medieval English variant of Cicely or Cecily, which in turn is a variation of Cecilia. Also found as an English surname, from the same root.

Sisley

Sybley

New York socialite and reality TV star Tinsley Mortimer introduced this name to the mainstream. Following her Gossip Girl cameo in 2008 and the airing of her own show, High Society in 2010, this once obscure choice began to climb the charts. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016 and though 2023 saw it drop from the charts, it is still given to around 250 girls each year.

Derived from an English place name,Tinsley can mean "Tynni's meadow" or "Field of Council', in reference to a town in South Yorkshire. Also used as a surname, Tinsley is in tune with its more popular sister names: Kinsley, Presley, Oakley, Finley, and Paisley, to name a few. Boosted up by these on trend names, Tinsley's rise might also have been helped along by the character, Dawn Tinsley, from the popular TV show The Office and by child actress and social media star, Tinsley Price, who starred in the first series of Stranger Things. The year following release of the show did coincide with a jump in use of the name.
 
Reminiscent of glitz, glamor, and sparkly Christmas decorations, Tinsley may well re-enter the charts in coming years.

Tinsley

Ursley

A natural phenomenon that makes a stylish baby name. Teen Mom's Kailyn Lowry used it for her daughter, twin to Verse.

Valley

Wesley, the long-standing classic boy name that has never dipped below the Top 200, is popular again — this time for boys and girls. The shared sounds with Leslie — which was once a masculine name itself — give Wesley real potential on baby girls. Some parents have feminized the name, leading to variations such as Weslie, Wesleigh, and Weslee, one notable example being Weslie Renae, daughter of dancers Allison Holker and Stephen "tWitch" Boss.
 
The proportion of girls named Wesley remains small however, with just over 100 girls given the name each year, meaning Wesley doesn't come close to meeting our criteria for (statistically) unisex names - yet.

Wesley

This jazzy French diminutive of Isabelle was first made famous by the title character of Raymond Queneau’s novel Zazie dans le métro, which was adapted into a film in 1960. It could also work as a nickname for Elizabeth or Susannah. Actress Zazie Beetz, Emmy-nominated for her supporting role in FX's Atlanta, has lent new verve and energy to this already upbeat, on-trend name.

Zazie

MiaLen's list "Alternatives To Paisley" of 58 great name ideas: Ainsley - Zazie!

Alternatives To Paisley

A surname, a country singer, and a beautiful fabric pattern, Paisley's on-trend sound  has won parents hearts. Here are some similar but different names.