Bentley as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Bentley

What is the meaning of the name Bentley ?

The baby name Bentley is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced BENT-lee (IPA: /ˈbɛntli/).

Bentley is English in Origin.

Bentley is an English habitational surname turned given name, built from Old English elements beonet (bent/coarse grass) and lēah (wood, clearing, meadow). It denotes “bent‑grass clearing” or “meadow of coarse grass,” and appears in multiple English place-names, which seeded the medieval surname. The name carries a dual image: rustic countryside roots paired with a polished, modern sheen.

As a first name, Bentley saw only occasional use until a sharp rise in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, especially in North America, aided by the broader fashion for surname names and by association with the luxury automobile marque. It is predominantly masculine but occasionally used for girls. Common variants and spellings include Bentlee, Bentleigh (notably in Australia), and Bently; diminutives and nicknames include Ben, Benny, and Lee. The core meaning remains tied to its Old English landscape origins.