The first name Bailey
A unisex name meaning “outer castle wall”.
Pronounced /ˈbeɪli/ 2 syllables Unisex Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Bailey means “outer castle wall”.
(English topographic surname): See bailey (“outer castle wall”)
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 178 boys were named Bailey, making it the 260th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2007, with 1,079 births (#70).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Bailey with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Bailey at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,446 girls born in the United States were named Bailey, the 209th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1998, when 5,198 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Bailey in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Bailey in Polish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Bailey
15 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Bailey JayAmerican pornographic film actress, born 1988
- Thomas Bailey AldrichAmerican poet, novelist, editor (1836–1907)
- Bailey WrightAustralian association football player, born 1992
- Bailey ChaseAmerican actor, born 1972
- Bailey HowellAmerican basketball player (born 1937)
- Michael Bailey SmithAmerican actor, born 1957
- Bailey De YoungActress, born 1989
- Bailey BassAmerican actress, born 2003
- Bailey WillisAmerican geologist (1857–1949)
- Bailey LearAmerican athlete, born 2001
- Bailey NobleAmerican actress, born 1990
- Bailey ZimmermanAmerican singer, born 2000
Questions
- What does the name Bailey mean?
- Bailey means “outer castle wall”.
- How popular is the name Bailey?
- In 2025, 178 boys born in England and Wales were named Bailey, ranking 260th. Its peak was 2007, with 1,079 births.
- Is Bailey a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 132,544 US babies named Bailey since 1880, 84% were girls and 16% boys.
- When was Bailey most popular?
- 1998 in the United States, when 5,198 babies were named Bailey, its highest rank at 60th.
- How do you pronounce Bailey?
- Bailey is /ˈbeɪli/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Bailey?
- Bailie, Baily, Bayly, Bayley, Bailee and Baylee.
- Is Bailey also a surname?
- Yes. Bailey is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.