Servant or knights meadow
Derived from an Old English surname, it combines 'cniht' (servant or soldier) and 'leah' (clearing or meadow). While historically a surname, it has gained attention as a given name due to literary and celebrity associations.
Less common today
Knightley isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #8,385 in 2021.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
The gentlemanly hero and love interest of Emma Woodhouse · Emma by Jane Austen
Academy Award-nominated English actress
