Bailey

Bailey is a unisex given name derived from the English surname Bailey. The surname originated from the Middle English baili, meaning "bailiff", and was initially an occupational name for a bailiff or an officer of the law.

Etymology and History

The use of Bailey as a given name dates back to early American history, with notable bearers such as Bailey Bartlett (1750–1830), who served as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. Throughout the 19th century, Bailey appeared occasionally as a masculine name but had largely fallen out of use by the 1940s.

Popularity Rebirth

The name experienced a dramatic resurgence in the United States when the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982) featured the character Bailey Quarters, a smart and ambitious radio news reporter played by Jan Smithers. This boosted the name's popularity for American girls starting in 1978, and it soon became more common as a feminine name. The spelling variants Bailee, Baylee, and Bayley also emerged. In 1994, the drama Party of Five featured a male character named Bailey Salinger, giving the name a fresh boost for boys. However, in the United Kingdom and Australia, Bailey has consistently been more popular for boys. In England, it ranked among the top 200 masculine names in the 1990s, and in 2019, Bailey was the 70th most popular name for boys in England and Wales.

Notable Bearers

• Bailey Bartlett (1750–1830), U.S. Representative from Massachusetts
• Bailey Quarters, fictional character on WKRP in Cincinnati
• Bailey Salinger, fictional character on Party of Five

• Meaning: Bailiff
• Origin: English surname
• Type: Unisex first name (more common for girls in US; for boys in UK)
• Usage Regions: United States, United Kingdom, Australia