Boy · #2,538 in 2026

Cael

Name: Popularity of the name Cael in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Cael, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#2,538

Peak Rank

#777 (2011)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

-17%

2007

First Year

2010

Last Year

2007

Peak Year

#12675

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Cael

Cael first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1989, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2011, when 272 Caels were born — ranking #805 that year. As of 2026, Cael ranks #2,538 for baby boys with 53 births, falling sharply (-17%). In total, more than 4K Caels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Cael

Phonetically similar names — useful when Cael is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Kale
Cale
Calle
Kayle
Kail
Cail
Kael
Caille
Cool
Call
Coal
Cal

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cael

What does the name Cael mean?

Cael is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1989. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Cael in 2026?

In 2026, Cael ranks #2,538 among boys' names in the U.S., with 53 babies given the name that year.

When was Cael most popular?

Cael reached its peak popularity in 2011, ranking #777 that year with 272 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Cael most popular?

Cael has historically been most popular in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Cael.

Is Cael a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Cael is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Cael?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cael include Ardell, Derrell, Yoel. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Cael

Cael is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1989 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Cael's peak popularity came in 2011 when it ranked #777. Use the chart and map above to compare Cael's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.