Blakely is an English surname and place name from the Old English blæc and leah, meaning "dark meadow" or "black clearing". The -ly ending gives it the breezy feel of Everly and Kinsley, which is why it has become a girls' name in the United States. Blakely entered the US top 1000 in 2011, climbed to a peak of number 156 in 2021 and ranks number 191 in 2025.