The baby name Barclay is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈbɑːrkli/ (US) or /ˈbɑːkli/ (UK); respellings: BAR-klee, BARK-lee.
The baby name Barclay is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈbɑːrkli/ (US) or /ˈbɑːkli/ (UK); respellings: BAR-klee, BARK-lee.
Barclay is English, Scottish in Origin.
Barclay is a Scottish surname-turned-given name ultimately linked to the English place-name Berkeley, from Old English beorc “birch” and leah “wood/clearing,” yielding the sense “birch meadow/clearing.” Via Norman forms such as de Berchelai, the name settled in Scotland as Barclay, pronounced most commonly BARK-lee. Closely related variants include Barkley (spelling) and the cognate Berkeley; rare short forms like Bar or Lee sometimes appear.
The surname is well established in medieval Scotland, associated with the Barclay families of Towie and others. Notable bearers include Robert Barclay (1648–1690), the influential Quaker apologist, and the athlete Captain Robert Barclay Allardice. As a given name, Barclay emerged in the 18th–19th centuries within Scottish and Quaker circles and spread with the broader Anglophone fashion for surname first names. Today it remains uncommon yet polished, conveying a tailored, traditional feel while retaining clear ties to nature through its “birch clearing” meaning.
| Barclay Hope Barclay Hope is a Canadian actor best known for playing Clifford and Claudius Blossom on Riverdale. He’s also known for roles like Mike Hayden on Street Legal and Peter Axon on PSI Factor. |
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FJ | Boys | 0 | #17 | 1 | 603 |
| MT | Boys | 0 | #179 | 1 | 4,064 |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #293 | 1 | 6,876 |
| SD | Boys | 0 | #466 | 1 | 10,523 |
| PA | Boys | 0 | #505 | 1 | 9,305 |
| BD | Boys | 0 | #605 | 1 | 10,045 |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #743 | 1 | 18,093 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #806 | 1 | 18,755 |
| United States | Boys | 2021 | #905 | 6 | 7,214 |
| PE | Boys | 0 | #925 | 2 | 14,506 |
| NG | Boys | 0 | #997 | 5 | 16,906 |
| CO | Girls | 0 | #1,152 | 1 | 16,140 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,182 | 1 | 25,439 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,267 | 6 | 25,619 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,691 | 1 | 28,008 |
Barclay is popular in 15 countries — most recent births per country:
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