Gender Masculine & Feminine
Usage English
Pronounced Pron. BAY-lee  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

From an English surname derived from Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.

Already an uncommon masculine name, it slowly grew in popularity for American girls beginning in 1978 after the start of the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which featured a character with this name. Though it remained more common as a feminine name, it got a boost for boys in 1994 from another television character on the drama Party of Five. In the United Kingdom and Australia it has always been more popular for boys.

Related Names

VariantsBailee, Baylee, Bayley

Popularity

People think this name is

modern   youthful   informal   common   natural   wholesome   simple   comedic  

Categories

Entry updated January 21, 2022