Boy’s name · English

Bradley

How to say it: BRAD-lee · /ˈbrædli/

From an Old English surname and place name meaning 'broad woodland clearing' or 'broad meadow'.

Bradley was the 397th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 794 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1980s, its births are down about 67% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #555 by 2030.

Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures

#397for boys in 2025
1 in 4,052US babies
794born in 2025
#555projected for 2030
1980sits peak decade
1 in 169chance a classmate shares it

Key facts

Key facts about Bradley
Rank among boys’ names, 2025#397
Babies born in 2025794
Share of births1 in 4,052
Peak decade1980s
Change over 10 years−67%
Projected rank for 2030 (estimate)#555
In France, 2025#561 among boys’ names, 65 births

Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.

Its life, decade by decade

Popularity for Bradley crested in the 1980s and now rests far below that high. More fading is expected as time moves on.

1900195020002020–25
Peak: 3,761 per million births, 1980s.

What goes with it

Sharp and clipped with firm consonants throughout. Brad offers a familiar short form, while Garrett reflects a similar style.

Nicknames

  • Brad
  • Lee

Other spellings

Honouring a Bradley in the family

In the classroom

In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Bradley is about 1 in 169.

Around the world

This spelling is used in English, French.

In France: #561 for boys in 2025.

England and Wales: #353. Ireland: #372.

Famous people named Bradley

From Wikidata and Wikipedia

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