Bradley is a moderately popular boys' name in United States, ranking #403 in 2025 with 794 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 1996 with 4,756 births ranking #83. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 83.3%. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 2,151 boys born was named Bradley. FALLING Recent data shows the name is currently falling.
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.