Bailey
Origin of the name Bailey:
Derived from the Old French baili (administrator, manager), which is derived from bailif (an officer of justice, a warrant officer).
From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman. Buy the bookDoes Bailey sound...
Sibling Names for Bailey...
Do you know any real life Baileys?
What are their siblings named?
Reader Contributions
Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Bailey!
- Comments and insights on the name Bailey: | Edit
Bailey is one of the top 10 most popular names for both male and female dogs and other pets.
- Personal experiences with the name Bailey: | Edit
Bailey has a twin sister, Brooke. They go really well together for twin girls. We always say, "Brooke & Bailey" never Bailey & Brooke! For twin boys; Brooks & Bailey! sounds cute, eh!
- Nicknames for Bailey: | Edit
Bay, Lee
- Meanings and history of the name Bailey: | Edit
Bailey is an Irish, English and Scottish surname. It could have originated as an occupational name referring to a crown official or officer of the king in county or town or a keeper of a royal building or house--a person of high rank. It is from the Old French for "bailiff" and/or the Scottish term "bailie," a municipal officer corresponding to an English alderman.
The occupational title "bailiff", meaning an officer in a court of justice, comes from the same root as Bailey.
The word Bailey also referred to the outer wall of a feudal castle or space immediately within the wall, and it could have been a geographical surname for someone who lived near the outer wall of a feudal castle.
The name Bailey also referrs to a prison or a court of justice, as seen in certain proper names such as the "Old Bailey" in London.
The name is in use for both boys and girls in the United States. Bailey was the 666th most popular name for American boys born in 2007 and the 83rd most popular name for American girls. It was most popular for boys in the late 1990s, when it ranked among the top 200 names. Bailey was the 70th most popular name for boys born in England and Wales in 2007 and was the 91st most popular name for boys born in Scotland in 2006.
- Famous real-life people named Bailey: | Edit
Corinne Bailey Rae (born Corinne Jacqueline Bailey on 26 February 1979) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist who released her eponymous debut album Corinne Bailey Rae in February 2006.
- Bailey in song, story & screen: | Edit
Beetle Bailey is an American comic strip set in a U.S. Army post, created by Mort Walker. It is one of the longest running comic strips in the United States, having begun in 1950.
Bailey's Irish Cream is a well-known brand of liqueur.
Bailey Pickett is the name of a female teen character in the Disney Channel's show "The Suite Life on Deck".
Miranda Bailey is the name of a female surgeon character, portrayed by Chandra Wilson, on the show "Grey's Anatomy".
NameVoyager US Popularity of Bailey Over Time
NameMapper Current Popularity of Bailey by State
Global Popularity of the Name Bailey
- #82 in United States
- #126 in Canada (British Columbia)
- #145 in Canada (Alberta)
- #235 in Scotland
Baby Name Wizard Store
Celebrate with personalized baby name products! Custom birth announcements, invitations, bibs, onesies & more.
Start Shopping