Knightley

Meaning: (Knights Meadow, Place Name, Habitational name from Knightley in Staffordshire, named in Old English as ‘the wood or clearing of the retainers’, from cnihta, genitive plural of cnihta ‘servant’, ‘retainer’ + leah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’.)

Origin: (English, Irish, Old English)

Pronunciation: (NIGHT-lee)

Gender: Uni-Sex


The other day I was on another blog and the blogger said Knightley was more of a last name so they messed around with it and came up with a unique spelling for it. I have used Knightley as the first name in one of my novels. I have also read about people naming their kids this. I have loved this name since I first heard it in Emma by Jane Austen. Mr. George Knightley is one of the main characters and the title character Emma's love interest. I always thought Knightley would make a cool first name. I just love saying that name. Of course it is a name that should be used sparingly so as not to be overused, thus becoming too popular.