Meaning and background
The story behind Holley
Holley can be used as a personal name, but its documented English surname history is not necessarily the same as Holly the tree name. A family-name dictionary lists a possible older nickname involving 'hollow eye', a topographic origin referring to a clearing in a hollow, and a variant of Hollis. The third route can connect indirectly to holly trees, but the alternatives cannot be ignored. Its spelling and historical evidence should remain separate from Hollie.
- Origin
- English surname with several documented derivations, including topographic, nickname and Hollis-variant routes. Source
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About Holley
Recorded as a dog’s name
Holley appears in 5 dog licence records in the 2022 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/hɑli/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/hɑli/ · primary stress on syllable 1HH AA1 L IY0
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.