Hayley was originally an English surname coming from a place name composed of the elements heg "hay" and leah "clearing; meadow; field." It came to the attention of the public through Hayley Mills, a British child actress (born Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills in 1946). Mills, the daughter of actor John Mills and actor/playwright Mary Hayley Bell was named for her mother's middle name. As a first name, Hayley didn't become popular in the USA until the 1980s, after the generation that grew up watching Hayley Mills movies had children of their own.See Also: Haley, Haeley, Hayleigh, Haleigh, Hailey