Bradley
Ultimately from Old English brād (“broad”) + lēah (“woodland”).
Every Bradley since 1880 — 314,957 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bradley
Bradley is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #403 in 2025 with 794 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 314,957 American babies have been named Bradley. Its peak came in 1980, when 7,262 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bradley stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bradley year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | #3,994 | 794 | #403 |
| 2024 | 52 | #3,087 | 910 | #362 |
| 2023 | 49 | #3,283 | 908 | #359 |
| 2022 | 62 | #2,766 | 952 | #345 |
| 2021 | 58 | #2,897 | 1,074 | #313 |
| 2020 | 46 | #3,346 | 1,237 | #273 |
| 2019 | 53 | #3,050 | 1,443 | #253 |
| 2018 | 48 | #3,299 | 1,496 | #247 |
| 2017 | 49 | #3,255 | 1,649 | #230 |
| 2016 | 58 | #2,909 | 2,054 | #197 |
| 2015 | 51 | #3,218 | 2,402 | #173 |
| 2014 | 43 | #3,600 | 2,330 | #183 |
| 2013 | 30 | #4,668 | 2,330 | #176 |
| 2012 | 15 | #7,878 | 2,300 | #169 |
| 2011 | 15 | #7,859 | 2,161 | #177 |
| 2010 | 13 | #8,799 | 1,995 | #185 |
| 2009 | 13 | #8,982 | 1,951 | #196 |
| 2008 | 8 | #12,771 | 1,953 | #201 |
| 2007 | 12 | #9,643 | 2,075 | #194 |
| 2006 | 13 | #8,806 | 2,137 | #188 |
| 2005 | 17 | #6,870 | 2,409 | #173 |
| 2004 | 20 | #6,006 | 2,308 | #176 |
| 2003 | 12 | #8,602 | 2,394 | #165 |
| 2002 | 15 | #7,101 | 2,645 | #149 |
| 2001 | 11 | #8,857 | 2,729 | #145 |
| 2000 | 18 | #5,978 | 3,017 | #131 |
| 1995 | 23 | #4,363 | 4,764 | #78 |
| 1990 | 17 | #5,320 | 6,437 | #65 |
| 1985 | 37 | #2,602 | 7,011 | #53 |
| 1980 | 52 | #2,017 | 7,210 | #51 |
| 1975 | 32 | #2,459 | 5,894 | #52 |
| 1970 | 24 | #2,865 | 6,818 | #47 |
| 1965 | 16 | #3,160 | 4,787 | #72 |
| 1960 | 7 | #5,220 | 4,746 | #90 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,278 | 3,183 | #107 |
| 1950 | 5 | #5,378 | 1,632 | #152 |
| 1945 | — | — | 310 | #339 |
| 1940 | — | — | 227 | #380 |
| 1935 | — | — | 237 | #357 |
| 1930 | — | — | 122 | #543 |
| 1925 | — | — | 79 | #731 |
| 1920 | 6 | #4,459 | 86 | #692 |
| 1915 | — | — | 66 | #734 |
| 1910 | — | — | 17 | #731 |
| 1905 | — | — | 9 | #846 |
| 1900 | — | — | 15 | #651 |
| 1895 | — | — | 26 | #370 |
| 1890 | — | — | 9 | #671 |
| 1885 | — | — | 9 | #650 |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #931 |
Famous people named Bradley
- Bradley Cooper Actor · b. 1975
- Bradley Whitford Actor · b. 1959
- Bradley James Actor · b. 1983
- Bradley Wiggins Cyclist · b. 1980
- Bradley Pierce Actor · b. 1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bradley mean?
Ultimately from Old English brād (“broad”) + lēah (“woodland”).
How popular is the name Bradley in 2025?
Bradley ranked #403 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 794 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bradley?
314,957 babies have been named Bradley in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bradley most popular?
Bradley peaked in 1980, when 7,262 newborns received the name.
Is Bradley a boy or girl name?
Bradley is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bradley rising or falling?
Bradley is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bradley?
Well-known people named Bradley include Bradley Cooper (actor), Bradley Whitford (actor), Bradley James (actor).