Total births
110,806
Unisex name · since 1916
Bailey
Since 1916, U.S. Social Security records show 110,806 babies named Bailey, peaking in 1998. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #182
- among girls today
- 110,806
- born since 1916
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Bailey is the #182 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 110,806 recorded since 1916.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bailey has been recorded 110,806 times among girls since 1916, currently ranked #182 nationally and more common than 99% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2025.
- #182 among girls today
- 110,806 born since 1916
- 2000s peak decade
- 99% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Bailey is currently the #182 unisex name in America, more common than 99% of girls - 110,806 born since 1916, peaking in the 2000s.
- #182
- among girls today
- 110,806
- born since 1916
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other girls
Bailey vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#182
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 99% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Bailey was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
5,198 babies were named Bailey in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
How Bailey compares
110,806 Top 2% higher than 98% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Bailey's all-time total is 290x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Bailey | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 110,806 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 5,198 | 48 | 19,840 |
Bailey's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Bailey's SSA record in two at 2000 and the more recent half accounts for 68% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 32%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1956, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1998 peak of 5,198, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Bailey at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
1998
Current rank
#182
Active since
1916
Bailey popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (1998)
- 5,198
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Bailey popularity over time - boys
21,738 total births recorded since 1880 (Bailey as boys' name)
Bailey by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Bailey's strongest decade.
36,881 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Bailey births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 6
1910s
6 births
- 1920s 6
1920s
6 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1970s 28
1970s
28 births
- 1980s 4,082
1980s
4,082 births
- 1990s
1990s
31,621 births
- 2000s
2000s
36,881 births
- 2010s
2010s
28,302 births
- 2020s 9,875
2020s
9,875 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 36,881 births (33% of all-time use).
How Bailey compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Bailey's total volume
Bailey vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Bailey by state
Where Bailey concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 10,911 | 9.8% |
| #2 | California | | 9,016 | 8.1% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 4,710 | 4.3% |
| #4 | Florida | | 4,664 | 4.2% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 4,215 | 3.8% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 3,635 | 3.3% |
| #7 | Missouri | | 3,572 | 3.2% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 3,518 | 3.2% |
Texas share of Bailey's total US births 9.8%
Even split
10,911 of 110,806 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Bailey appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bailey? ▼
Since 1916, Social Security records show 110,806 babies named Bailey. Today it holds rank #182 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1998, with 5,198 births.
When was Bailey most popular? ▼
Bailey was most popular in the 2000s decade with 36,881 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Bailey most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Bailey are Texas (10,911 births), California (9,016 births), Ohio (4,710 births).
Is Bailey a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Bailey is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 110,806 births, and as a boy's name it has 21,738 births.
How long has the name Bailey been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Bailey since 1916 -- 110 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Bailey? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Bailee, Baila, Baileigh, Bailie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Bailey's data
- Bailey's decade-level peak was the 2000s (36,881 total births); usage has since declined to 9,875 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Baileys (10,911 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Bailey
Nearby Names Like Bailey
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bailey
Bailee Girl
#993 16,240 births
Baila Girl
#1421 3,416 births
Baileigh Girl
#3202 2,545 births
Bailie Girl
#11410 1,654 births
Baily Girl
#7734 1,407 births
Compare Bailey side by side: Bailey vs Bailee Bailey vs Baila Bailey vs Baileigh
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Bailey
Brianna #181
264,799 births · Peak 2000
Phoebe #183
43,658 births · Peak 2025
Kaia #180
20,909 births · Peak 2024
Vivienne #184
23,921 births · Peak 2025
Lilah #179
24,664 births · Peak 2025
Andrea #185
445,419 births · Peak 1981
Alani #178
18,799 births · Peak 2025
Myla #186
22,134 births · Peak 2023
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bailey: #182 Unisex Name - 110,806 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bailey. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Bailey draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.