Where does the name Bailey come from?

Bailey is a unisex name of English origin.

Is Bailey a boy or a girl name?

Bailey is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 83% of children given the name Bailey are girls and 17% are boys.

How popular is the name Bailey in 2023?

Bailey ranks #172 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1998 with 7,437 babies.

How do you pronounce Bailey?

Bailey is pronounced BAY-lee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Bailey?

Bailey is also written as Bailee, Baylee.

A name from English · Unisex

Bailey

From an English occupational surname for a bailiff (a steward or court official) — ultimately from Latin baiulus. Adopted as a unisex given name in late-20th-century America.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

129,153 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,834 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

BFrom an English occupational surname for a bailiff (a steward or court official) — ultimately from Latin baiulus. Adopted as a unisex given name in late-20th-century America.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Bailey".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Bailee Most common Baylee

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Bailey.

B
Bailee Madison (actress)
B
Halle Bailey (singer and actress)
B
Bailey Sarian (true-crime YouTuber)

Quick answers

People often ask about Bailey.

What does the name Bailey mean?: Bailey means from an English occupational surname for a bailiff (a steward or court official) — ultimately from Latin baiulus. Adopted as a unisex given name in late-20th-century America.
Where does the name Bailey come from?: Bailey is a unisex name of English origin.
Is Bailey a boy or a girl name?: Bailey is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 83% of children given the name Bailey are girls and 17% are boys.
How popular is the name Bailey in 2023?: Bailey ranks #172 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1998 with 7,437 babies.
How do you pronounce Bailey?: Bailey is pronounced BAY-lee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Bailey?: Bailey is also written as Bailee, Baylee.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.