Gender Feminine & Masculine
Usage Scottish, English (Modern)
Meaning & History
From an English surname that was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English anne "alone, solitary" or ansetl "hermitage" and leah "woodland, clearing".In America, this name received a boost of popularity in 2000 when a character bearing it began appearing on the television series The West Wing.