Given name & surname
Hensley
“one who is ambitious”
Hensley is used as a given name and a surname. One American interpretation is “one who is ambitious.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One American interpretation is “one who is ambitious.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is American.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1916. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Hensley through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,217
- 179 boys · 2,038 girls
- Most popular year
- 2020
- 226 babies
- 2025
- 96
- #2,071 for girls · #12,712 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −38%
- Cooling
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 5% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 91 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,071 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 39.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 5 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (10). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,470 as a first name in 2020; 47,615 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Hensley’s family of names
Hensley has a related form in Henslea. Hensley has a related form in Henslee. Hensley has a related form in Hensleigh.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Hensley
- Hensley PaulinaDutch sprinterborn 1993
- Hensley MeulensDutch former professional baseball player and coachborn 1967
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Hensley, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Henley
“a social butterfly” · “from the high meadow”
15% boys · 85% girls
Halsey
“a playful woman” · “from Hal's island”
1% boys · 99% girls
Hartley
“a warmhearted woman” · “from the stag's meadow”
15% boys · 85% girls
Honey
“a very sweet woman”
>99% girls
Harley
“from the meadow of the hares”
20% boys · 80% girls
Hadley
“from the field of heather” · “from the heather meadow”
1% boys · 99% girls
Holiday
“born on a festive day”
3% boys · 97% girls
Emmylou
“a universal ruler”
>99% girls