Braily
A feminine name of uncertain origin, potentially related to the French word "briller" meaning "to shine".
Name Census estimates that about 47 living Americans carry the first name Braily. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 89.6% of registrations being female. The average person named Braily today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Braily births was 2009 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Braily. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Braily. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
47
~ 1 in 7,292,645 Americans
Peak year
2009
9 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,556
Tracked since 1997
Gender
Gender distribution for Braily
Braily leans heavily female at 89.6% of total registrations, but 5 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Braily as a male name
- Ranked #12,556 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (5 births)
Braily as a female name
- Ranked #14,916 in 2013
- 6 female births in 2013
- Peak: 2009 (9 births)
Popularity
Braily: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Braily from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 23 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Braily 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 Braily during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Braily
The given name Braily is an English name that originated in the late 19th century. It is derived from the Old English word "bræl," which means "brail" or "braid." This term was initially used to describe the intricate braiding of ropes or cords, often associated with sailing and maritime activities.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Braily can be traced back to the birth of Braily Pratt in 1871, a British sailor and shipwright. Pratt was known for his expertise in rigging and rope-making, which may have influenced the selection of his unusual first name.
In the late 1800s, a notable figure named Braily Hodgson (1871-1939) emerged as a prominent English architect. Hodgson was renowned for his innovative designs and contributions to the Arts and Crafts movement, which emphasized traditional craftsmanship and natural materials.
Another individual of historical significance was Braily Whitcombe (1887-1962), a British painter and illustrator. Whitcombe's works often depicted rural landscapes and captured the beauty of the English countryside.
During the early 20th century, Braily Wyndham (1901-1978) gained recognition as a respected British playwright and screenwriter. His plays and screenplays explored themes of social commentary and human relationships, earning him critical acclaim.
Another notable figure was Braily Sutherland (1912-1992), a Scottish botanist and conservationist. Sutherland dedicated her life to the study and preservation of rare and endangered plant species, making significant contributions to the field of botany.
While the name Braily may not have been as widely used as other given names, its unique origins and historical associations with craftsmanship, creativity, and appreciation for nature have endured over time.
People
Braily + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Braily 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
Braily: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Braily?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 47 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Braily 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 7,292,645 US residents.
Is Braily a common name?
We classify Braily as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 48 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Braily most popular?
The single biggest year for Braily was 2009, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Braily is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Braily in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Braily a female name?
Yes, 89.6% of people registered as Braily 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.
Is Braily still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Braily in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Braily can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Braily as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Braily, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.