Bayley
A feminine name of Middle English origin meaning "berry clearing".
Name Census estimates that about 2,573 living Americans carry the first name Bayley. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 83.4% of registrations being female. The average person named Bayley today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bayley births was 1997 (206 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bayley. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
2.6K
~ 1 in 133,212 Americans
Peak year
1997
206 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2014 SSA rank
#3,960
Tracked since 1982
Gender
Gender distribution for Bayley
Bayley leans heavily female at 83.4% of total registrations, but 435 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Bayley as a male name
- Ranked #12,308 in 2014
- 5 male births in 2014
- Peak: 1998 (60 births)
Bayley as a female name
- Ranked #3,960 in 2024
- 37 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1997 (150 births)
Popularity
Bayley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bayley from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 997 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bayley by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Bayley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Bayleys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 21 states and territories. California, Texas, Ohio recorded the most babies named Bayley, while Wisconsin, Utah, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 28 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Bayley
The name Bayley originated from the Old French word 'baillif', which translates to 'bailiff' or 'steward'. This occupation-based surname emerged during the Middle Ages, commonly used to refer to individuals responsible for managing estates or overseeing administrative duties on behalf of a lord or landowner.
In its early days, the name Bayley was predominantly found in England, particularly in regions with strong Norman influence following the Norman Conquest of 1066. As the name evolved, it underwent various spelling variations, including Baillie, Bailie, and Baily, reflecting the fluid nature of name transcription during that era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bayley can be traced back to the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this historical document, several individuals with the surname Bayley or its variations were listed, indicating the name's presence in the aftermath of the Norman invasion.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the given name Bayley. One such individual was Bayley Wyat (c. 1512-1554), an English poet and diplomat during the reign of King Henry VIII. His poetic works, including translations of classical texts, garnered him recognition in literary circles of the time.
Another prominent figure was Bayley Hazelton (1648-1719), an English painter renowned for his portraiture and landscapes. His works adorned the walls of aristocratic homes and were highly sought after during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
In the realm of academia, Bayley Somers (1766-1842) was a distinguished scholar and author who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature. His translations and commentaries on classical texts were widely praised and influential in the field of classical studies.
The name Bayley also found its way into the world of politics and public service. Bayley Seaton (1786-1858) was a British politician and diplomat who served as the Governor of North Carolina and later as the ambassador to Mexico during the early 19th century.
Lastly, Bayley Thornhill (1825-1901) was a renowned English architect who left an indelible mark on the cityscape of London. His iconic designs, including the Royal Courts of Justice and several churches, embodied the Victorian Gothic Revival architectural style and continue to be celebrated for their artistry and craftsmanship.
People
Bayley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bayley as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bayley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bayley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,573 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bayley going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 133,212 US residents.
Is Bayley a common name?
We classify Bayley as "Rare". It ranks above 94.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,623 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bayley most popular?
The single biggest year for Bayley was 1997, when 206 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bayley is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Bayley a female name?
Yes, 83.4% of people registered as Bayley in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.