Hawley is an English surname and given name, derived from Old Norse elements hálr meaning 'sea' or 'hero', and leikh meaning 'ditch'. It was originally a surname given to someone who lived near a ditch, or possibly someone of Scandinavian descent with the nickname 'hero'. The name was brought to England by the Normans during their invasion in 1066. Over time, Hawley has evolved into a given name and can be found as such throughout Britain and other English-speaking countries. It is often associated with the town of Hawley in Hampshire, England, where there exists an ancient parish church dedicated to St. Mary.
The name Hawley experienced varying popularity over the decades, with a noticeable decline after the late 1980s. The peak years for the name were 1982 and 1985, each seeing 8 and 7 births respectively. However, from 1987 onwards, the number of births dropped significantly, ranging between 5 to 7 per year. The most recent data available (2018) shows a slight resurgence with 6 births, suggesting a possible renewed interest in the name Hawley. Overall, there have been a total of 67 births with this name since 1970.