Bradley
Boy name · #403 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Bradley? In official American birth records, Bradley has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Bradley is currently the #403 boy name in the United States — 794 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #173, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,267 boys born in 2025 was named Bradley.
The 145-year story
Bradley first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1980, when 7,210 boys were named Bradley — good for #51 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Bradley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bradley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bradley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Bradley 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 Bradley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Bradley is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Bradley is most common in TN (0.9 per 1,000), NJ (0.8 per 1,000), OK (0.8 per 1,000), VA (0.8 per 1,000), AL (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Bradley is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Bradley
Statistically, parents drawn to Bradley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Casey, Bryan, Jeremy, Corey, and Jeffrey.
CaseyBryanJeremyCoreyJeffreyBrianMarioDerrick
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bradley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 794 | #403 |
| 2024 | 910 | #362 |
| 2023 | 908 | #359 |
| 2022 | 952 | #345 |
| 2021 | 1,074 | #313 |
| 2020 | 1,237 | #273 |
| 2019 | 1,443 | #253 |
| 2018 | 1,496 | #247 |
| 2017 | 1,649 | #230 |
| 2016 | 2,054 | #197 |
| 2015 | 2,402 | #173 |
| 2014 | 2,330 | #183 |
| 2013 | 2,330 | #176 |
| 2012 | 2,300 | #169 |
| 2011 | 2,161 | #177 |
| 2010 | 1,995 | #185 |
| 2009 | 1,951 | #196 |
| 2008 | 1,953 | #201 |
| 2007 | 2,075 | #194 |
| 2006 | 2,137 | #188 |
| 2005 | 2,409 | #173 |
| 2004 | 2,308 | #176 |
| 2003 | 2,394 | #165 |
| 2002 | 2,645 | #149 |
| 2001 | 2,729 | #145 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Bradley?
In official American birth records, the name Bradley first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Bradley a popular boy name?
Bradley ranked #403 among boys in 2025 with 794 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #173.
When was the name Bradley most popular?
Bradley peaked in 1980, when 7,210 American boys received the name (ranked #51 that year). Since 1980 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Bradley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,267 newborn American boys was named Bradley. 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.