# Bradley

/ˈbɹædɫi/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bradley
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. male given name

noun · CEFR A1

a common first name for a man or a boy.

For teachers: a masculine given name, originally transferred from the habitational surname.

- Bradley decided to start his own business after working for ten years.
- Bradley was named after his grandfather, a tradition that had been maintained in his family for four generations.

### 2. surname

noun · CEFR A1

a family name or surname.

For teachers: an English habitational surname derived from Old English words meaning 'broad clearing'.

- The teacher called out 'Mr. Bradley' to get the student's attention.
- The author, whose surname was Bradley, spent years researching the history of the village that shared his name.

## Examples

- Bradley is starting his new job on Monday morning.
- The teacher called out for Bradley to come to the front of the classroom to collect his homework.
- While Bradley remains a popular choice for a first name in North America, it is also frequently encountered as a surname in historical British records.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.