Bailey
Definition
This is a surname used as a first name, originally given to someone who had the job of bailiff. It was used regularly in the nineteenth century for boys and into the early twentieth century, but was never particularly popular. It reappeared in the early eighties as a girl's name in the USA and has become increasingly popular. This reappearance has been linked to its use for a female character, Bailey Quarters, in the hit television comedy WKRP in Cincinnati, which originally ran 1978–1982 with later repeats. Unusually, about ten years after it was already established as a popular girl's name it came back into regular use as a boy's name. Usually the traffic is from boys to girls, and traffic the other way is rare. This may have been encouraged by its use for another, male, television character, that of Bailey Salinger in the drama Party of Five, which ran on US television from 1994–2000, although the name was already coming back in by 1992. As a female name the second syllable can have all the variant spellings found in the name Lee, giving forms such as Bailee and Baileigh, while spellings with Bay-, such as Baylee, are also found. Outside the USA Bailey is increasingly popular as a boy's name, but has yet to make much of an impact for girls.
Sex
Girls
Similar names
Naming Your Baby
Copyright © 2007 Julia Cresswell
