Ainsley

/ˈeɪnzli/

//ˈeɪnzli// name

"ainsley" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Ainsley” is an uncommon English word, ranked #57,848 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#57,848
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A surname from Old English.

Key facts for Ainsley
PropertyValue
HeadwordAinsley
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈeɪnzli/
Letters7
Frequency rank#57,848
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Ainsley” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Ainsley lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Ainsley is 7 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈeɪnzli/. Corpus data places it at rank #57,848 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Ainsley has no tracked misspelling variants, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Habitational surname for someone from Annesley, Nottinghamshire or Ansley, Warwickshire, both from Old English anne (“alone, solitary”) or ānsetl (“hermitage”) + lēah (“woodland, clearing”). The correct English form is Ainsley, spelled A-I-N-S-L-E-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A surname from Old English.
  2. 2
    A unisex given name transferred from the surname.

Etymology

Habitational surname for someone from Annesley, Nottinghamshire or Ansley, Warwickshire, both from Old English anne (“alone, solitary”) or ānsetl (“hermitage”) + lēah (“woodland, clearing”).

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Ainsley"?
"Ainsley" is spelled A-I-N-S-L-E-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈeɪnzli/.
What does "Ainsley" mean?
As a proper noun, "Ainsley" means: A surname from Old English.
How do you pronounce "Ainsley"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Ainsley" is /ˈeɪnzli/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Ainsley"?
Habitational surname for someone from Annesley, Nottinghamshire or Ansley, Warwickshire, both from Old English anne (“alone, solitary”) or ānsetl (“hermitage”) + lēah (“woodland, clearing”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Ainsley”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-I-N-S-L-E-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈeɪnzli/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list