Total births
2,221
Unisex name · since 1982
Bayley
Since 1982, U.S. Social Security records show 2,221 babies named Bayley, peaking in 1997. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3998
- among girls today
- 2,221
- born since 1982
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other girls
Bayley currently ranks #3998 among unisex names in America, with 2,221 babies recorded since 1982.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bayley has been recorded 2,221 times among girls since 1982, currently ranked #3998 nationally and more common than 77% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1982 to 2025.
- #3998 among girls today
- 2,221 born since 1982
- 1990s peak decade
- 77% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Bayley is currently the #3998 unisex name in America, more common than 77% of girls - 2,221 born since 1982, peaking in the 1990s.
- #3998
- among girls today
- 2,221
- born since 1982
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other girls
Bayley vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3998
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 77% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Bayley was born in this single decade.
1997
Single peak year
150 babies were named Bayley in 1997 - its busiest year on record.
How Bayley compares
2,221 Top 21% higher than 79% 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
Bayley's all-time total is 6x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Bayley | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,221 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 150 | 48 | 19,840 |
Bayley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Bayley's SSA record in two at 2004 and the more recent half accounts for 48% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 52%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1982, with only 8 births recorded -- set against the 1997 peak of 150, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Bayley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1997
Current rank
#3,998
Active since
1982
Bayley popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1982–2025
- Peak year (1997)
- 150
- Annual births at peak, across 44 years of records
Bayley popularity over time - boys
435 total births recorded since 1989 (Bayley as boys' name)
Bayley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Bayley's strongest decade.
752 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Bayley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 95
1980s
95 births
- 1990s
1990s
752 births
- 2000s
2000s
686 births
- 2010s
2010s
511 births
- 2020s 177
2020s
177 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 752 births (34% of all-time use).
How Bayley 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 Bayley's total volume
Bayley vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Bayley by state
Where Bayley concentrates geographically, total births since 1982
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 134 | 6.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 118 | 5.3% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 54 | 2.4% |
| #4 | Washington | | 30 | 1.4% |
| #5 | Florida | | 29 | 1.3% |
| #6 | Indiana | | 28 | 1.3% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 24 | 1.1% |
| #8 | Kansas | | 23 | 1.0% |
California share of Bayley's total US births 6.0%
Even split
134 of 2,221 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Bayley appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Bayley? ▼
Bayley has been given to 2,221 babies in the U.S. since 1982, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #3998 as of the latest data. 150 babies were born in 1997, its single highest year.
When was Bayley most popular? ▼
Bayley was most popular in the 1990s decade with 752 total births. The single peak year was 1997.
Where is Bayley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Bayley are California (134 births), Texas (118 births), Ohio (54 births).
Is Bayley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Bayley is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 2,221 births, and as a boy's name it has 435 births.
How long has the name Bayley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Bayley since 1982 -- 44 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Bayley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Baylee, Bayleigh, Baylor, Baylie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Bayley's data
- Bayley's decade-level peak was the 1990s (752 total births); usage has since declined to 177 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Bayleys (134 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Bayley
Nearby Names Like Bayley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bayley
Baylee Girl
#1016 21,741 births
Bayleigh Girl
#2144 5,190 births
Baylor Girl
#809 3,721 births
Baylie Girl
#7400 3,472 births
Bayan Girl
#2355 1,152 births
Compare Bayley side by side: Bayley vs Baylee Bayley vs Bayleigh Bayley vs Baylor
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Bayley
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, 1982–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bayley: #3998 Unisex Name - 2,221 Births, Peak 1997." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bayley. 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 Bayley 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.