Bailey - Name Meaning and Origin

The boy's and girl's name Bailey \ba(i)-ley\ is pronounced BAY-lee. It is of Old English origin, and its meaning is "berry clearing; bailiff; city fortification". Place name and transferred use of the surname. Occupational name: in the Middle Ages, a bailiff was a minor official of the law.

Bailey has 11 variant forms: Bail, Bailee, Baileigh, Bailie, Baillee, Baillie, Baily, Baley, Baylee, Bayley and Bayly.

For more information, see also the related name Bay.

Baby names that sound like Bailey are Billy, Paisley, Paley and Bale.

Bailey is a very rare male first name and a very popular surname (source: 1990 U.S. Census). Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the boy's name Bailey. Click here to compare Bailey with related baby names.