Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Baylor isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1918. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Baylor through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 12,731
- 9,010 boys · 3,721 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 1,253 babies
- 2025
- 1,229
- #386 for boys · #694 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +88%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 69% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 822 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 386 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 93.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 407 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Georgia had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (51). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,752 as a first name in 2020; 5,882 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Baylor’s family of names
In English usage, Baylor as a surname has a related form in BAILER.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Baylor
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Baylor, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Bowie
“a blonde-haired man”
62% boys · 38% girls
Milan
“from the city in Italy; one who is gracious” · “an eager and hardworking man”
70% boys · 30% girls
Aris
“the best” · “one who is superior”
59% boys · 41% girls
Ellis
“Jehovah is my God” · “noble”
73% boys · 27% girls
Campbell
“having a crooked mouth”
46% boys · 54% girls
Ever
“resembling a wild boar”
60% boys · 40% girls
Lennox
“one who owns many elm trees”
71% boys · 29% girls
Quincy
“the fifth-born child”
66% boys · 34% girls