Dog name guide

Bradley

The meaning, background and naming story of Bradley.

Letters
7
Syllables
2Dictionary reading
Starts with
B

Meaning and background

The story behind Bradley

Bradley reached personal-name use through an English surname that came from place names. Its older elements refer to a broad clearing, giving it a landscape history beneath the familiar modern sound. The reference records Brad as a shortened form, so the full name and everyday nickname can be considered together. For a dog, Bradley may appeal if you like human-style names with a countryside connection. The clearing belongs to the word’s historical formation; it does not establish where a particular dog or family came from.

Origin
English surname transferred to given-name use, from place names built on Old English broad and clearing elements. Source
Meaning
Broad clearing, in the underlying English place-name formation. Source

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Everyday moments

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About Bradley

Recorded as a dog’s name

Bradley appears in 13 dog licence records in the 2026 New York City dataset.

How to read this count

These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.

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Pronunciation and rhythm

/bɹædli/

US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.

Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.

View dictionary notation

/bɹædli/ · primary stress on syllable 1
B R AE1 D L IY0

These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.

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Sources and research notes (2)

References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.

More names to consider

Suggestions by sound, written form or existing editorial selections. Similarity does not imply a shared origin.

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Hadley

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