US Popularity Rank: 1786

Origin: British

Meaning: By the white island

Originally a surname, Whitney is a gender-neutral name of British origin. Meaning "by the white island," in Old English, Whitney is rooted in the small parish of Whitney-on-Wye in Herefordshire. First recorded as Witenie, meaning "white water," the area was so named for the River Wye, which runs peacefully through it. One of the longest rivers in the UK, the Wye flows through the mountains and moorlands of Wales before caressing England's enchanting forests and villages. Defined by a weaving river of torrential tendencies and diverse twists and turns, Whitney is a name that fully embraces the mischief of life.