Bentley Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Bentley has its origins in Old English, meaning 'bent grass clearing'. It evolved through different historical forms before becoming a popular name. It is associated with traits of sophistication and elegance, and it does not have biblical relevance.
The name Bentley is most popular in Utah, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Generation Alpha generation in the MidWest region. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is declining in usage, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been consistently rising. From 2020-2022, Bentley has been too falling for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, falling for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, too rising for male in South, stalled for female in South, falling for male in West, falling for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been too falling for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, too falling for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, too falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, too falling for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Bentley' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 2308th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 2180th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 1502nd out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 2015th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 2419th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 301st out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 120th out of 23106 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 9268th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 2063rd out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 1467th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Bentley' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Bentley"
Pronunciation
/ˈbɛntli/
Origin
Old English
Etymology
The name Bentley is derived from the Old English words 'beonet', meaning 'bent grass', and 'leah', meaning 'woodland' or 'clearing'. It originally referred to someone who lived by a clearing where bent grass grew.
Meaning
bent grass clearing
Language Evolution
Beonetleah, Bentleah, Bentley
Historical Usage
Bentley gained popularity as a surname in England in the medieval period and later became a popular given name in the 19th century.
Variants & Derivatives
Bent, Benny, Ben
Modern Popularity & Image
In contemporary times, Bentley is perceived as a stylish and sophisticated name, often associated with luxury due to the luxury car brand.
Famous People
Bentley Kalu, Bentley Little, Bentley Smith
Explore More Bentley Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Bentley"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Bentley"
"Bentley" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 2308th of 7545 | 201 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 2180th of 6773 | 214 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 1502nd of 7552 | 516 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 2015th of 10718 | 344 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 2419th of 16616 | 421 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 301st of 24088 | 16,962 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 120th of 23106 | 39,672 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 9268th of 27321 | 109 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 2063rd of 35406 | 1,460 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 1467th of 30306 | 1,819 |
Regional Popularity of "Bentley" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - |
95.07% 2237th/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- |
59.55% 1447th/2430 |
50.75% 1448th/2853 |
48.18% 1337th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- |
58.86% 2050th/3483 |
55.91% 1967th/3518 |
- |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- |
59.17% 2648th/4475 |
67.60% 3511th/5194 |
- |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
5.24% 240th/4582 |
8.04% 415th/5164 |
3.49% 255th/7313 |
5.92% 442nd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
1.93% 77th/3984 |
3.59% 161st/4487 |
1.54% 105th/6822 |
2.98% 187th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Bentley" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
38.93% 1784th/4582 |
79.53% 4107th/5164 |
24.01% 1756th/7313 |
23.78% 1775th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
40.21% 1602nd/3984 |
74.06% 3323rd/4487 |
22.15% 1511th/6822 |
19.53% 1226th/6276 |
State-by-State Popularity of "Bentley"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Bentley" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.