Where does the name Bradley come from?

Bradley is a boy name of Old English origin.

Is Bradley a boy or a girl name?

Bradley is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Bradley are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Bradley in 2023?

Bradley ranks #3283 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1980 with 7,262 babies.

How do you pronounce Bradley?

Bradley is pronounced BRAD-lee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Bradley?

Bradley is also written as Brad, Bradlee, Bradleigh.

A name from Old English · Boy

Bradley

From the Old English brad ('broad') + leah ('wood, clearing'); 'broad meadow'. Originally a surname tied to several places in England, adopted as a given name in honor of General Omar Bradley.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

311,304 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

957 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

BFrom the Old English brad ('broad') + leah ('wood, clearing'); 'broad meadow'. Originally a surname tied to several places in England, adopted as a given name in honor of General Omar Bradley.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Bradley".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Brad Most common Bradlee Bradleigh

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Bradley.

B
Bradley Cooper (actor)
B
Omar Bradley (U.S. general)
B
Bradley Whitford (actor)

Quick answers

People often ask about Bradley.

What does the name Bradley mean?: Bradley means from the Old English brad ('broad') + leah ('wood, clearing'); 'broad meadow'. Originally a surname tied to several places in England, adopted as a given name in honor of General Omar Bradley.
Where does the name Bradley come from?: Bradley is a boy name of Old English origin.
Is Bradley a boy or a girl name?: Bradley is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Bradley are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Bradley in 2023?: Bradley ranks #3283 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1980 with 7,262 babies.
How do you pronounce Bradley?: Bradley is pronounced BRAD-lee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Bradley?: Bradley is also written as Brad, Bradlee, Bradleigh.

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From Old English æsc ('ash tree') + lēah ('wood, clearing') — literally 'ash tree meadow'

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From Old English mild ('gentle') + thryth ('strength'); 'gentle strength'

Beverly

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From the Old English place name beofor ('beaver') + leah ('clearing'), originally a town and abbey in Yorkshire

Dale

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From Old English dæl meaning 'valley' — originally a surname for someone who lived in a valley

Earl

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From Old English eorl, the title of a nobleman ranking below a king — etymologically related to Old Norse jarl

Todd

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From the Middle English surname todde meaning 'fox' — a nickname applied to a cunning or fox-haired person

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From an Old English place name combining a personal name Hroda ('famous') with eg ('island'); originally a surname tied to Stoke Rodney in Somerset

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.