Baby Name Popularity Profile

Bailey

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Bailey.

✦ Bailiff or outer wall of a castle 🌍 English, French traditional
National Rank (2025) #209
All-Time Peak Rank #60 Achieved 1998
Total U.S. Births 110,806 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 6.4% Boy / 93.6% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1916 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 2000s 5,198 births in 1998
💡 The Bailey Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Bailiff or outer wall of a castle
Language Origin English, French
Origin Type multiple
Derived from an English surname, which was originally an occupational name from Old French 'bailli' (bailiff, steward) or a topographical name from Old French 'baille' (outer wall of a castle).
Common Nicknames
Bail Lee
Alternative Spellings
Bailee Baylee Bayley
Pronunciation: BAY-lee
Themes & Categories
traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Bailey

According to SSA data, Bailey achieved its highest historical rank of #60 in 1998. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1998 with 5,198 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 49.3%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 48 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Bailey across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -49.3% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 5,198 births in 1998
Years in Top 100 16 yrs
Years in Top 500 40 yrs
Registry Streak 48 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 6
1920s: 6
1930s: 0
1940s: 0
1950s: 5
1960s: 0
1970s: 28
1980s: 4,082
1990s: 31,621
2000s: 36,881
2010s: 28,302
2020s: 9,875

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Ba-iey
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 25.7% of SSA names. Starts with B, a letter used by only 3.6% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Bailey.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Utah
Top States Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Utah #225 2,114 1998 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #179 997 2001 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada #382 829 1999 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 335 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #185 2,305 1999 Stable
Oregon #261 1,720 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 565 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #176 2,253 1996 5.1% Decline
Kansas #292 1,920 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #225 2,448 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #269 1,292 1999 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska #143 235 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #291 2,708 1998 32.4% Decline
South Dakota #193 563 1998 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #187 2,969 1999 47.7% Decline
Arkansas #166 1,771 1999 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #196 3,422 1999 23.5% Decline
Missouri #160 3,572 1999 +40.7% Growth
Iowa #259 2,107 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #149 4,215 2007 19.8% Decline
North Dakota Unranked 495 1998 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #270 10,911 1998 22.0% Decline
Florida #258 4,664 1998 16.9% Decline
Indiana #254 3,212 1998 24.3% Decline
Kentucky #156 2,297 2001 Stable
Minnesota #309 2,418 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #154 2,403 1999 +3.7% Growth
North Carolina #210 3,635 1998 22.4% Decline
New Hampshire #123 397 2012 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii #173 381 2015 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #105 1,749 2009 +37.9% Growth
New Mexico #186 603 2012 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #214 2,221 1997 27.8% Decline
Vermont #58 189 2000 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi #185 1,377 1999 Insufficient historical volume
Maine #178 459 2012 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #131 2,354 1999 +11.8% Growth
Ohio #170 4,710 1998 23.5% Decline
Maryland #147 1,468 2011 +17.9% Growth
Michigan #206 3,423 1997 25.4% Decline
California #309 9,016 1998 22.2% Decline
West Virginia #157 767 2011 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #174 3,518 2000 16.2% Decline
Delaware Unranked 138 2007 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #189 3,337 1997 18.9% Decline
Connecticut #208 602 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #155 1,069 1998 Insufficient historical volume
New York #279 2,750 2000 +7.1% Growth
New Jersey #325 959 1998 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 121 2001 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 68 2015 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Austin Jordan Dawson Victor Tyler Malcolm Dante Alex Antonio Zachary
👧 Sister Suggestions
Summer Molly Jasmine Ana Selena Kiara Samantha Katherine Alexandra Autumn

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Bayley Britny Blakely Baby Baily Brittny Bexley Briley Brandy Bruchy
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