Bailey is a girl name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Bailey means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Bailey across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Bailey has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Bailey is a girl name of Old English origin meaning “bailiff, or castle wall”. originally an occupational surname.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 132,544 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 18,066 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 1,338 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 451 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 331 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 1,454 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Bailey per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1998 (7,437/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2007 (1,177/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2007 (90/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2007 (35/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2014 (29/yr).
Bailey has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1998, when it ranked #92 nationally (given to 7,988 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1990s.
Billy · Paisley · Bill · Belle · Baylee · Paislee · Bailee · Billye
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →