Gender: Mostly Girl
Meaning: Bailiff; law enforcement officer; outer wall of a castle
Origin: Old French baillif — an occupational and architectural surname, from bailli (administrator, steward)
Popularity: Ranked #182 in 2024 with 1,644 babies born.
History: Bailey is an occupational and architectural surname with medieval English roots — a bailey was the outer courtyard of a castle, and a bailiff was the official who managed it. It crossed into first-name use in the late 20th century, initially for boys but quickly becoming predominantly female in America. It entered the girls' top 50 in the 1990s and climbed from there, part of the broad wave of friendly surname-names. It has a bright, open sound and an approachable character — casual without being forgettable.
Name length: 6 letters
How common is Bailey? About 1 in 1,850 babies born in 2024 were named Bailey, or roughly 4.9 per day in the United States.
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