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At a Glance: Name: Paisley – Meaning: from the town of Paisley, Scotland; Gaelic root meaning 'pasture' – Origin: Scottish (place name, Scottish Gaelic) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: PAYZ-lee
Paisley takes its name from the town of Paisley in Scotland, rooted in the Scottish Gaelic word Pàislig, meaning 'pasture.' You may have come across the claim that it means 'church' or 'cemetery,' tied to a Latin word for basilica — that's not what the record shows; the Gaelic root points to pasture instead. Said PAYZ-lee (/ˈpeɪzli/), it's a place-rooted name that's been given to American babies since at least 1966.
Meaning & Origin of Paisley
Meaning: From the town of paisley, scotland; gaelic root meaning 'pasture'.
Origin: Scottish (place name, Scottish Gaelic).
A common claim: Paisley is widely said to mean 'church' or 'cemetery,' linking the place name to a Latin word for basilica. Actually: Paisley traces to the Scottish Gaelic Pàislig, meaning 'pasture' — not 'church' or 'cemetery.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Paisley
Phonetic: PAYZ-lee IPA: /ˈpeɪzli/
Popularity of Paisley
Paisley ranked #61 in 2024, given to 3,542 babies, down from its peak of #45 in 2015 when 5,089 babies received the name.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1966–2024.
Make Paisley Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Paisley, 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 Paisley mean?
From the town of paisley, scotland; gaelic root meaning ‘pasture’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Paisley)
How do you pronounce Paisley?
Paisley is pronounced PAYZ-lee (IPA: /ˈpeɪzli/).
Is Paisley a popular name right now?
Paisley peaked at #45 in 2015 and is ranked #61 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1966–2024.)
📊 How popular is Paisley? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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