Bailey
An English surname, in part occupational for a bailiff from Old French bailli, and in part from bailey, the outer wall or courtyard of a castle.
Bailey in 2025
Bailey was given to 1,584 babies in the United States in 2025 — 138 boys and 1,446 girls, making it the 433rd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 2,093 babies born.
The history of Bailey
Bailey reached its highest point in 1998, when 7,437 babies were given the name, ranking 92nd that year. Its best-ever ranking was 89th, in 1997.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 132,544 babies have been named Bailey. Half of them were born before 2003, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Bailey has switched sex over its history: it went mostly to boys in its early decades, and goes mostly to girls today.
Bailey by decade
| Decade | Babies named Bailey | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 78 | 1,007 |
| 1890s | 116 | 1,177 |
| 1900s | 111 | 1,390 |
| 1910s | 301 | 1,700 |
| 1920s | 396 | 1,994 |
| 1930s | 367 | 2,022 |
| 1940s | 301 | 2,360 |
| 1950s | 292 | 2,675 |
| 1960s | 197 | 3,669 |
| 1970s | 197 | 3,977 |
| 1980s | 4,559 | 477 |
| 1990s | 41,547 | 89 |
| 2000s | 43,773 | 110 |
| 2010s | 29,659 | 174 |
| 2020s | 10,650 | 365 |
Where Bailey is heading
Bailey has fallen 47% over the past decade, from 2,964 babies in 2015 to 1,584 in 2025.
Names like Bailey
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Bailey.