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I like Ashley and always have. Ashleys are always nice people.

I actually like Ashley, but mostly because of cool associations rather than because I like the name as such very much. It has a nice vibe and all the Ashleys (all female) I've come across have been lovely people, but the name is not my style, I'm not very huge on modern names, don't like most -ley names and not many names that are unisex, and it does feel rather dated. I much prefer Ashlyn/Aisling as far as names with similar sounds go. The only male Ashleys I can think of are Ashley from Gone With the Wind and the English musician Ashley Hutchings so it feels very unusual to me on a man and I'm kind of not sure what to think of it as a male name. It's interesting in a surprising way because it seems a rare occurrence, but it feels sort of odd to see it as a male name.

I like Ashley, but I do think it is a bit dated. I prefer it for a female. I can't hear Ashley for a boy without screaming "Aaasshley!" in an annoying Scarlet O'Hara voice. Yes, I've seen the movie once like 20 years ago and I remember that more than anything else.

I like the name Ashley for all genders. It would be in consideration for me if it weren't my cousin's name.

This message was edited 3/29/2022, 6:33 PM

I was born in '91, one of the years where Ashley was the #1 name for girls in the U.S. Checking the chart, this means there were 43,479 baby girls named Ashley born that year. (And it's biggest year was actually 1987, where there were 54,853 born but it was still the #2 name; that was a big baby year!) It has similar popularity stats for the surrounding years. And of course, this isn't even counting spelling variants (Ashlee, Ashleigh, etc.).

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Since you're logged in as guest I don't know much about you (particularly in terms of age or where you're fron), but... do you have any idea how many Ashleys I've known? To the extent that Ashley doesn't even give a concrete impression of who she might be based on name alone, because the Ashleys have been from all different cultures / walks of life. It's one of the most common names I've encountered anyone with, ever. It's the 90s equivalent of Deborah / Debra in the 50s! And it's still in the Top 200 names (though it was used under 2,000 times last year).

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Ashley needs to go to sleep in America. Like, a Sleeping Beauty length of sleep. And I know it's a masculine name in the U.K., but given its use here I have a really hard time picturing a man named Ashley.

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Aside from popularity, I cannot shake the "ashes" association from the sound. I mean, I know it's from ash trees, which are plentiful where I'm from and rather pretty; but the name makes me think of ash trays. This is also why I don't like the trending name Asher for a boy.

What Fiammetta said. Yawn indeed. I really don’t know why this name exploded in popularity so much. It is extremely mid. Needs a very long rest, and better on a female. On males it’s tolerable though.

Definitely better for a girl. Dated, yes. Not a fan.

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My gym teacher (c. 2000) was named Ashley. I think it was his first year teaching so I presume he was about 22 at the time. It was terrible.

This message was edited 3/28/2022, 6:02 PM

I'm kinda' digging it for a boy. It switches it up a bit. I know it's obviously used for boys as well, but you don't hear it as often. I would say it is dated for a girl. For a boy, it doesn't seem quite as dated, especially in the south. I'd prefer Ashby though.

Yawn

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For women it needs a looong rest and is very stereotypically 80s/90s.

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It’s ok for boys but might not be able to “cross back “, at least in the US.

I like Ashley...but its kind of boring. I'd like to see it on a boy - just this once.

This message was edited 3/28/2022, 5:55 AM

I first encountered Ashley when I was 7, and it sounded wonderfully elegant and exotic to me. I still like it. I think it rolls of the tongue. I prefer it as a feminine name, but like it on both genders.

I like for both gender only. :)

Dated, yes, and the only nn I've ever heard is Ash, which is nothing other than depressing. I'd avoid it for any and all genders.

I like it, more dated for a m, nice for a girl, I prefer Ashleigh