Baily

Meaning & origin

Baily first appeared in U.S. records in 1984, a modern respelling of the more common Bailey. It reached its peak rank of 10,917 in 1997, around the time many -ly surname-names were fashionable for girls. Since 1998, usage has been steadily falling, with roughly 1 in 200,908 newborns receiving the name in 2025. While Baily has never ranked in the top 1,000, it reflects a broader trend of soft, surname-style names like Harper and Avery. The spelling with 'y' distinguishes it from the more traditional Bailey but remains rare.

Baily is generally considered a modern spelling variant of Bailey, which derives from the Old French 'baillis' meaning 'bailiff' or 'steward'. As a surname, it also referred to someone who lived near the outer wall of a castle, from the Old English 'bælig' (outer wall). In the United States, Baily emerged as a given name in the late 20th century, likely influenced by the popularity of similar-sounding name Bailey.