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At a Glance: Name: Yardley – Meaning: an enclosed or measured plot of woodland/clearing (from Old English gerd 'rod, enclosure' + leah 'woodland clearing') – Origin: Old English (surname/place name) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: YAHRD-lee
Yardley comes from Old English, combining gerd, meaning 'rod' or 'enclosure,' with leah, meaning 'woodland clearing' — together pointing to a measured plot of woodland. It started out as a surname and place name before being used as a given name, so it carries a literal, land-rooted meaning rather than an abstract one. U.S. Social Security records show it in use as a given name from 1968 through 2021.
Meaning & Origin of Yardley
Meaning: An enclosed or measured plot of woodland/clearing (from Old English gerd 'rod, enclosure' + leah 'woodland clearing').
Origin: Old English (surname/place name).
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Yardley
Phonetic: YAHRD-lee IPA: /ˈjɑːɹd.li/
Popularity of Yardley
Social Security data shows Yardley at its most popular in 1968, ranking #4131 with 6 babies given the name; by 2021, the latest year on record, it ranked #13405 with 7 babies — a name that has stayed rare throughout the more than five decades it's been tracked.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1968–2021.
Make Yardley Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Yardley, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Yardley mean?
An enclosed or measured plot of woodland/clearing (from Old English gerd ‘rod, enclosure’ + leah ‘woodland clearing’). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Yardley)
How do you pronounce Yardley?
Yardley is pronounced YAHRD-lee (IPA: /ˈjɑːɹd.li/).
Is Yardley a popular name right now?
Yardley peaked at #4131 in 1968 and is ranked #13405 as of 2021. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1968–2021.)
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