Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (orig. US, also bauldy) a bald man; thus used as a nickname for one who is bald.

1833		M. Scott Tom Cringle’s Log (1862) 137: How is Baldy Steer? gentleman-like or Christian-like, to be after funning and fuddling, while a fellow creature [...] stands before you all but dead.
1850		(con. 1843) Melville White-Jacket (1990) 196: He was a fine little Scot, who, from the premature loss of the hair on the top of his head, always went by the name of Baldy.
1864		E.K. Wightman letter 16 June in Longacre From Antietam to Fort Fisher (1985) 191: General[s] Grant, Hancock, and Baldy Smith are on the same hill.
1875		J. Miller First Fam’lies in the Sierras 9: Old Baldy whistled a little air.
1879		Elk Co. Advocate (Ridgway, PA) 25 Sept. 3/5: Some call him ‘Baldy,’ others call him ‘Skating Park’.
1882		E.S. Ellis Huge Hunter in Beadles Half Dime Library XI:271 4/1: ‘I am Baldy Bicknell—though I ginerally go by the name “Baldy”.’ [...] the stranger removed his hat and displayed his clean-shaven pate.
1898		Eve. Post (Wellington) 9 Apr. 1: ‘Baldy! was a rank Warrigal.
1902		O. Wister Virginian 108: Why, if it ain’t Bokay Baldy! [...] Found them slippers yet, Baldy.
1909		C. Nicol ‘Bauldy Kilwuddie’ Poems 62: A funny bit body was bauldy Kilwuddie .
1927		(con. 1914–18) L. Nason Three Lights from a Match 13: Where’s Baldy?
1924		Gippsland Times (Victoria) 8 Sept. 1/6: It has been apparent to many ‘baldies’ that some form of protection was wanted for their species.
1930		K.S. Prichard Haxby’s Circus 131: Brooks had jumped Baldy’s claim on his wife.
1935		C.G. Finney Circus of Dr Lao 25: Heh, heh. Old Baldy thinks that bear is a man. Guess his sight’s failing.
1944		C.B. Davis Rebellion of Leo McGuire (1953) 163: We’re going into Chi on the Pennsy and in the diner I see a little bald man eye me and when we’re back in our section this little baldy comes by, smiling.
1951		Courier Mail (Brisbane) 12 Dec. 9/8: When he got rid of the overweight, ‘Baldy’ Byrne took his running.
1953		‘Curt Cannon’ ‘The Death of Me’ in I Like ’Em Tough (1958) 121: She was peeling for the baldies.
1960		(con. 1950-1960) R.A. Freeman Dict. Inmate Sl. (Walla Walla, WA) 5: Baldy – one lacking hair, generally an elderly man.
1963–74		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 24: Cool it dad! We’re McKenzie’s exclusive agents. We can fix up a little deal with old baldy.
1965		W. Dick Bunch of Ratbags 171: Baldy ain’t particular what age yah are as long as yah got dough.
1976		R. Price Blood Brothers 82: I was bald at six [...] I wore this stocking hat and all the kids called me Baldy.
1979		Fantastic Four Annual 24: I wish ol’ baldie wouldn’t make such a production number outta everything.
1983		M. Read Scouting for Boys in Best Radio Plays (1984) 149: Wotcher Baldy.
1989		M. Amis London Fields 50: An adoring baldy or four-eyes – some wally, wimp, nerd or narna – might be sleeping on the chair.
1995		M. Simpson ‘Prufrock Scoused’ Catching Up with Hist. 22: The bastids-ll call uz Baldy Ed (bald as a bleedin melling thee-ll say!).
1999		Guardian G2 7 July 24: Two other baldies – ageing lothario Geoff and once-dreadlocked KD.
2000		Guardian 23 Mar. 22: Victory to old baldy at the Sun.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 13/1: baldy n. a gang-member with a shaven head.
2011		S. Kelman Pigeon English 182: F— off, baldy!

2. an old man.

1899		J. Flynt Tramping with Tramps 384: The baldy [old man] ’e comes himself, ’n’ asted what I wanted.
1921		P. & T. Casey Gay-cat 301: Baldy—an old man.
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 21: Baldy.—A generic term for an old man, regardless of the hair he may or may not have.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).

3. (Aus.) an Edward VII penny [the king was bald].

1948

R. Raven-Hart Canoe in Aus. 187: Two pennies put tails up on ‘kip’, strip of wood: ‘baldies’ (Edward VII) preferred because at once readable.

4. (US black) a very closely shaved haircut, also attrib.

1964		H. Selby Jr Last Exit to Brooklyn 283: YA SONOFABITCH, YA CUT ALL HIS HAIR OFF. ALL THE NICE CURLS HE HAD, YA CUTEM ALL OFF. HE LOOKS LIKE HES GOTTA BALDY.
1996		P. Beatty White Boy Shuffle 90: Manny only offered one haircut [...] a concentration-camp baldy with a hint of stubble.
2022		J. Hannaham Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit 19: A white man with a baldy bean.

5. (NZ prison) a white supremacist prison gang who adopt skinhead haircuts.

1999

D. Looser ‘Boob Jargon’ in NZEJ 13 : baldy n.White Supremacist gang member with a shaven head.

6. see bald-headed hermit under bald-headed adj.