Bailen, the town's original name, was coined from the Spanish word ""bailar"", meaning "to dance". Another claims that it was named after a Spanish town of the same name. The American civil government, from 1899–1901, reduced the number of towns to facilitate the military policy of concentrating the civilian population of the poblaciones. The Philippine Commission approved Act No. 947 on October 15, 1903, annexing the municipalities of Bailen and Mendez to Alfonso, thus becoming barrios of Alfonso. The Philippine Commission, for the second time in 1904, reorganized the entire province of Cavite reducing its 22 municipalities to 9 groups of towns. Bailen was annexed to Mendez. Bailen was reconverted into an independent municipality in 1915, with the complete restoration of peace and order in Cavite.