Haily
Meaning of Haily
Derived from the Old English elements hēg “hay” and lēah “clearing, meadow,” Haily is a deliberate orthographic variant of the medieval toponymic surname Hailey that has been repurposed as a feminine given name in Anglo-American contexts; its phonemic structure, transcribed as HAY-lee (/ˈheɪli/), retains the sonorous lateral consonant and terminal high front vowel, while the addition of the diminutive –y suffix conforms to late-twentieth-century onomastic conventions. Although its usage traces back to agrarian place-names, Haily experienced a surge in the United States at the turn of the twenty-first century, peaking in 2003 with 187 recorded births (rank 725), before gradually receding to eight instances by 2024 (rank 942). This trajectory exemplifies broader naming patterns that valorize pastoral imagery and orthographic innovation, positioning Haily as a relatively rare but semantically transparent choice that conveys both rural vitality and phonological precision within a coolly refined, formal register.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as HAY-lee (/ˈheɪli/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
