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Ashley

Ashley is a name used as both a given name and a surname in English. It is common in many English-speaking countries and is predominantly feminine in modern usage, especially in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, though it has also been used for males.

The name derives from Old English elements meaning ash tree and clearing or meadow, roughly “ash meadow.”

Ashley began as a surname in England, associated with several places named Ashley. Over time it spread

Ashley is the name of towns and settlements in the United States and England, and of a

Notable people with the name include actresses Ashley Judd, Ashley Olsen, Ashley Benson, and Ashley Greene;

It
originated
as
a
surname
and
place
name
before
being
adopted
as
a
given
name.
to
the
United
States
and
other
English-speaking
regions,
where
it
became
widely
used
as
a
given
name
for
girls,
with
male
use
decreasing
in
recent
decades.
county
in
Arkansas
(Ashley
County).
Examples
include
Ashley,
North
Dakota;
Ashley,
Illinois;
and
Ashley,
Indiana.
footballer
Ashley
Cole;
and
singer-actor
Ashley
Tisdale.
In
popular
culture,
the
name
has
appeared
for
various
fictional
characters
as
well,
such
as
Ashley
Graham
from
the
Resident
Evil
video
game
series.
The
name
continues
to
be
used
for
both
real
individuals
and
fictional
figures,
reflecting
its
versatility
and
enduring
presence
in
English-speaking
societies.