How Many People Are Named Bradley?
Complete statistics for the name Bradley: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Bradley is an English surname-turned-first-name meaning 'broad woodland clearing', and today around 279,281 people in the US carry it. That works out to 1 in 1,182 Americans, making it genuinely uncommon despite feeling familiar. It peaked hard in 1980 and has been sliding ever since, but it's still a name most people have met in real life.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life path number 4 is traditionally associated with stability, discipline, and building things that last. People linked to the number 4 are seen as practical and hardworking, the kind who lay solid foundations rather than chase shortcuts.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 45All 314,113 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1980Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Bradley Through the Generations
Bradley had a serious run at the top, spending 23 years in the US top 10, which is a real sign of staying power. Its peak came in 1980 with 7,261 births in a single year, and that era left a clear mark on the numbers today. A huge 60% of all Bradleys alive right now are between 30 and 60 years old, which maps almost perfectly onto the kids born during those boom decades. Only 19% are under 30, and that share reflects the steady decline that's set in since the name's heyday. The gap between all-time births of 314,113 and the estimated 279,281 living today isn't dramatic, suggesting the name isn't old enough to have lost huge numbers to age. The average Bradley is 45, sitting right in the heart of that dominant middle generation. It's a name that feels neither dusty nor trendy, just solidly in between.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Bradley
Bradley is an English given name derived from a placename meaning "broad wood" or "broad meadow" in Old English.…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Bradley's Old English roots
📄 About the Name Bradley
How Many People Have the Name Bradley?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 130,526 people in the United States currently share the name Bradley. That works out to roughly 1 in every 2,539 Americans, placing it in the Uncommon category.
Is Bradley a Common or Rare Name?
Bradley is classified as Uncommon. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Bradley Mean?
Bradley means "broad woodland clearing" and comes from Old English origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 4.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Bradley in SSA data, approximately 99% are male and 1% are female.
When Was Bradley Most Popular?
The name Bradley reached peak popularity in 1980, with 7,261 babies registered that year. Current trend: Declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Bradley?
Approximately 130,526 people named Bradley live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 130,526. That works out to roughly 1 in 2,539 Americans.
Is Bradley a rare name?
Bradley is classified as Uncommon in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 2,539 Americans has this name.
What does the name Bradley mean?
Bradley means "broad woodland clearing" and comes from Old English origins.
Is Bradley more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 99% of people named Bradley are male and 1% are female.
When was Bradley most popular?
Bradley peaked in 1980 with 7,261 births that year. Current trend: Declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.