UK name, mostly boys
Baillie
A diminutive form of the Scottish surname Baillie, derived from the Latin word "baiulus" meaning "bailiff" or "officer".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2008. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 29 girls.
Baillie is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Baillie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2008 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2775, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 12 births.
This profile covers 79 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1997 to 2008. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 191 living people in the UK are called Baillie. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2009 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Baillie ranked #2775 for boys in England and Wales in 2008, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 12 boys were registered as Baillie.
- • Baillie ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #711 in 2020.
- • Baillie is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 191 living people in the UK are estimated to have Baillie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 73.1% of Baillie registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2775
2008
Births in 2008
6
Latest year
Peak year
2000
12 births
Estimated living
191
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Baillie
In England and Wales birth records, Baillie has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 73.1% of registrations are for boys and 26.9% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Baillie registered for boys
- Ranked #2,775 in 2008
- 6 boys registered in 2008
- Peak: 2000 (12 births)
Baillie registered for girls
- Ranked #5,765 in 2017
- 3 girls registered in 2017
- Peak: 2002 (5 births)
Meaning
What does Baillie mean?
The name Baillie is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old French word "baillie," which means a bailiff or an officer of the court. This name has been in use since the Middle Ages and is closely associated with the feudal system in Scotland.
The name first appeared in historical records during the 12th century, when it was used to refer to officials who were responsible for administering justice and collecting taxes on behalf of the Crown. These bailiffs held significant power and influence in their respective regions.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Baillie was Sir William Baillie, a Scottish nobleman who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Alexander III and played a crucial role in the administration of the kingdom.
Another notable figure was Robert Baillie, a Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian who lived from 1599 to 1662. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation and wrote extensively on religious matters, including his famous work, "Letters and Journals."
In the 18th century, William Baillie (1737-1816) was a Scottish-born American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a colonel in the Continental Army and played a significant role in several battles, including the Battle of Monmouth.
Joanna Baillie (1762-1851) was a Scottish poet and playwright who was highly regarded during her lifetime. She is best known for her "Plays on the Passions," which explored various human emotions through dramatic works.
In the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the name Baillie was Ian Baillie (1919-1998), a British actor and playwright. He had a successful career on stage and screen, appearing in numerous films and television shows, including "The Ipcress File" and "The Saint."
While the name Baillie has its origins in Scotland and is deeply rooted in the country's history, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish immigration and cultural influence.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Baillie over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Baillie in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Baillie, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2008, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Baillie by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Baillie was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #2391 | 60 | 9 |
| 1990s | #1776 | 19 | 3 |
Geography
Where Baillie is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Baillie. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Baillie ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #711 in 2020.
Across the UK
Baillie in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#711 in 2020
19 years of NRS records, 114 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Baillie
-
Baillie Walsh
film director
British film director
1953-
-
Baillie Scott
architect; designer
British architect (1865-1945)
1865-1945
Related
Names similar to Baillie
- Benjamin 90,412
- Ben 36,356
- Bradley 30,230
- Brandon 26,411
- Billy 18,608
- Bobby 16,904
- Blake 16,337
- Bailey 16,014
- Brody 7,230
- Beau 6,722
- Barnaby 5,284
- Brodie 4,801
FAQ
Baillie: questions and answers
How popular is the name Baillie in the UK right now?
In 2008, Baillie was ranked #2775 for boys in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Baillie most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 12 babies registered as Baillie in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Baillie?
A diminutive form of the Scottish surname Baillie, derived from the Latin word "baiulus" meaning "bailiff" or "officer".
How many people are called Baillie in the UK?
A total of 79 babies have been registered as Baillie across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 114 more in Scotland.
Where is Baillie most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Baillie ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #711 in 2020. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.