Knightley is a unique and distinctive given name of English origin, derived from the surname Knightly, which was an occupational name for a servant who worked in a knight's household during the Middle Ages. The name Knightley has been used as a first name since the late 19th century but gained prominence in the early 20th century. It is composed of two elements: 'knight', referring to a person holding a rank or title of honor, and '-ly', which serves as an adjectival suffix denoting relation or association.
"Knightley saw a steady increase in popularity from 2018 onwards, with the highest number of births recorded in 2021 and 2022."