Dudley: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “Dudda's clearing”
- Origin
- Old English
- Say it
- DUD-lee · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Boys
From an English surname and place name, from Old English, traditionally interpreted as 'Dudda's wood/clearing'. It began as a habitational surname before use as a given name.
How popular is Dudley?
Babies named Dudley in 20249
Peak year1881
Total US babies since 188011,983
Dudley is steady now but far below its 1881 peak.
Names like Dudley
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Dudley questions
What does the name Dudley mean?
Dudley means "Dudda's clearing". It comes from Old English. From an English surname and place name, from Old English, traditionally interpreted as 'Dudda's wood/clearing'. It began as a habitational surname before use as a given name.
Is Dudley a boy or girl name?
Dudley is mainly a boy's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Dudley?
9 US babies were named Dudley in 2024. Its peak year was 1881.
How do you pronounce Dudley?
Dudley is usually pronounced DUD-lee.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.