WeeNames Scotland’s favourite name finder

← All names

Ainslie

Girl name · 109 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Ainslie: 109 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 14 births in 1994.

Ainslie has deep Scottish roots, originating as a habitational surname from the Old English ‘anes leah’, meaning ‘hermitage wood’ or ‘clearing’. It was borne by James Ainslie, a 19th-century Scottish pioneer who settled in Australia, after whom Mount Ainslie and the Canberra suburb of Ainslie are named, giving the name a strong place connection down under. The name also appears in Scottish records as Ainsley, its more common variant. Though historically a surname, Ainslie has become a distinctive first name in Scotland, used for both boys and girls but increasingly chosen for daughters in recent decades, lending it a soft yet sturdy feel.

Girl 20 of 52 years

Peak year
199414 babies
Latest (2004)
#6633 babies
Total births
109since 1974
5-year trend
▼ 37%vs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1994 · 14
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).