Bailey
Girl name · #209 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Bailey? In official American birth records, Bailey has been tracked continuously since 1916, giving it 109 years of documented American history.
Bailey ranks #209 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 1,446 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #107, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,245 girls born in 2025 was named Bailey.
The 109-year story
Bailey first appears in the Social Security records in 1916, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1998, when 5,198 girls were named Bailey — good for #60 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Bailey per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bailey against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bailey in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Bailey is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Bailey is most common
Geography matters for names, and Bailey is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Bailey is most common in NH (2.6 per 1,000), SC (2.2 per 1,000), WV (2 per 1,000), AR (1.7 per 1,000), VA (1.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Bailey is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Bailey
Statistically, parents drawn to Bailey tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Hailey, Sydney, Delaney, Brianna, and Harley.
HaileySydneyDelaneyBriannaHarleyMarleyPresleyBrooke
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bailey | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,446 | #208 |
| 2024 | 1,652 | #182 |
| 2023 | 1,683 | #172 |
| 2022 | 1,649 | #182 |
| 2021 | 1,775 | #162 |
| 2020 | 1,670 | #172 |
| 2019 | 1,819 | #157 |
| 2018 | 2,181 | #133 |
| 2017 | 2,433 | #125 |
| 2016 | 2,712 | #116 |
| 2015 | 2,853 | #107 |
| 2014 | 2,951 | #104 |
| 2013 | 3,019 | #105 |
| 2012 | 3,418 | #81 |
| 2011 | 3,318 | #88 |
| 2010 | 3,598 | #78 |
| 2009 | 3,643 | #85 |
| 2008 | 3,907 | #82 |
| 2007 | 3,934 | #84 |
| 2006 | 2,980 | #112 |
| 2005 | 2,991 | #108 |
| 2004 | 3,309 | #100 |
| 2003 | 3,467 | #98 |
| 2002 | 3,662 | #84 |
| 2001 | 4,339 | #69 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Bailey?
In official American birth records, the name Bailey first appeared in 1916 (over 109 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 109 years.
Is Bailey a popular girl name?
Bailey ranked #209 among girls in 2025 with 1,446 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #107.
When was the name Bailey most popular?
Bailey peaked in 1998, when 5,198 American girls received the name (ranked #60 that year). Since 1998 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Bailey?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,245 newborn American girls was named Bailey. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.