Hayley ( /ˈheɪli/) is a given name. It was adopted from the English surname, which is based on a place name derived from Old English heg "hay" and ley "clearing or meadow", but many sources accept that it was also separately derived from the Old Norse word haela meaning "hero". While it can be used for males, Hayley is most commonly a female given name. This use became popular due to actress Hayley Mills' celebrity, resulting in Hayley becoming one of the top 1500 female names in the US today.
There are many variations of Hayley, including Haeli, Haelli, Hailee, Hailey, Haylie, Hailie, Hailly, Halee, Haleigh, Haley, Hali, Halie, Haliey, Halii, Halley, Haly, Haylea, Haylee, Hayly and Hayleigh.
Read more about Hayley: Fictional Characters With The Given Name