Home › Baby Names Directory › Baylor

Baylor

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Baylor

Pronounced BAY-lor /ˈbeɪ.lər/High

Meaning: Possibly an occupational surname for a delivery worker or a variant of Bailleur (bailiff); exact etymology uncertainMedium

In 30 seconds: An English surname of uncertain origin, most widely known as the name of Baylor University (Waco, Texas). As a girls' name it sits squarely in the Southern-prep surname-name trend.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningPossibly an occupational surname for a delivery worker or a variant of Bailleur (bailiff); exact etymology uncertain

U.S. rank (2025)#694 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births407 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,721

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Baylor is an English surname of unclear etymology. It may derive from an occupational term related to delivering or bailing goods, or from a French-origin occupational term. The Baylor family name became well-known in Texas through Judge R.E.B. Baylor, after whom Baylor University was named in 1845.

As a given name, Baylor appeared in U.S. birth data from the late 2010s, primarily for girls, as part of the trend for university and place-name surnames. It ranked #807 for girls in 2024. Its similarity to Taylor and the -ay- vowel shared with Hayley and Baylee helps it feel familiar.

Did you know? Baylor University was founded in 1845 and named for Judge R.E.B. Baylor, who donated land for its founding — making this one of several U.S. university names that has spun off as a given name.

Overall data confidence 72%

U.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

Bayler

Nicknames

BayBaylie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Baylor…

Taylor— rhyming -aylor surname name long established as a given name

Hayley— similar sound and feel, -ay- vowel shared

Dallas— Southern place/surname name in the same preppy space

Sutton— preppy two-syllable English surname name in the same cohort

Explore names like Baylor

By themeamerican surname-name southern

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Baylor mean?

Baylor is an English surname of uncertain origin, possibly occupational. It is best known as the name of Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

How do you pronounce Baylor?

It's said BAY-lor — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Baylor a boy or girl name?

Baylor appears in girls' data in recent U.S. charts.

How popular is Baylor?

Baylor ranked #807 for U.S. girls in 2024.