This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Knightley – Meaning: knight's clearing or knight's meadow (Old English cniht 'knight/young retainer' + leah 'woodland clearing, meadow') – Origin: English (surname/place name) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: NYTE-lee
Knightley is a neutral name with English roots, originally used as a surname and place name. Pronounced NYTE-lee, it comes from Old English elements meaning 'knight's clearing' or 'knight's meadow' — so while it's sometimes described simply as 'land of knights,' the '-ley' part actually points to a specific clearing or meadow rather than land in general.
Meaning & Origin of Knightley
Meaning: Knight's clearing or knight's meadow (old english cniht 'knight/young retainer' + leah 'woodland clearing, meadow').
Origin: English (surname/place name).
A common claim: Knightley is often glossed simply as 'land of knights'. Actually: More precisely, the '-ley' element means a clearing or meadow, not general 'land', so 'knight's clearing/meadow' is the closer reading.
How to Pronounce Knightley
Phonetic: NYTE-lee IPA: /ˈnaɪtli/
Popularity of Knightley
Social Security data from 2009 to 2024 shows Knightley peaking in 2021 at rank #8277 with 13 babies given the name, then dropping to rank #10421 in 2024 with just 7.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 2009–2024.
Make Knightley Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Knightley, 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 Knightley mean?
Knight’s clearing or knight’s meadow (old english cniht ‘knight/young retainer’ + leah ‘woodland clearing, meadow’).
How do you pronounce Knightley?
Knightley is pronounced NYTE-lee (IPA: /ˈnaɪtli/).
Is Knightley a popular name right now?
Knightley peaked at #8277 in 2021 and is ranked #10421 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 2009–2024.)
📊 How popular is Knightley? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Knightley
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
