How to say it
BRAD · ley
/ˈbræd.li/
Masculine
Bradley
Broad meadow
What it means
An English place name, 'broad wood or clearing,' from brad ('broad') plus leah ('meadow').
Bradley is an English place and surname name, a 'broad meadow' or 'wide clearing,' from Old English. It moved into first-name use and peaked in the late 20th century, behind General Omar Bradley and, more recently, actor Bradley Cooper. It reads solid and friendly, with the everyday short Brad. Steady rather than flashy.
Popularity over time
peaked at #47 in 1970, currently #403 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Brad is the standard short.
- Spelling
A 'broad meadow' place name.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Bradley Cooper American actor and filmmaker
Spelling variants
- Bradly
- Bradlee
Names with the same feeling
See Bradley from another angle
By style