Bradley is a moderately popular boys' name in England & Wales, ranking #352 in 2025 with 119 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 1997 with 2,745 births ranking #28. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 95.3%. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 2,285 boys born was named Bradley. STABLE Recent data shows the name is currently stable.
Bradley is an English place-name and surname name meaning something like "broad meadow" or "broad clearing". It has an easy familiarity that has helped it last through changing fashions.
The name moved into common first-name use in the twentieth century and became especially familiar in Britain and the United States. It feels traditional enough to be stable without sounding old-fashioned.