Cairo
Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate. It is home to more than 9.8 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world, and the Middle East. The Greater Cairo metropolitan area is one of the largest in the world by population with over 22 million people.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Cairo
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate. It is home to more than 9.8 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world, and the Middle East. The Greater Cairo metropolitan area is one of the largest in the world by population with over 22 million people.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
Etymology
Origin & history
The Story of Cairo
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Cairo as a girl name dates back to 1994, when 11 babies received it. 2019 was its biggest year on record, with 72 newborns named Cairo — #2,450 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 54% of all recorded Cairos. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,012 among girl names with 36 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 622 Cairos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Cairo on the record books as a boy name in 1979, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 1,101 Cairos were born — ranking #306 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 67% of all recorded Cairos. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #346 among boy names with 995 births, rising sharply (+31% over the past five years). In total, more than 10K Cairos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Cairo
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Cairo. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Notable people named Cairo
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Abu Sa'id al-Afif , 15th-century Samaritan
- Rabab Al-Kadhimi (1918–1998), dentist and poet
- Wael Alaa (born 1987), musician known as Neobyrd
- Amr Aly (born 1962), American soccer player and Olympian
- Yasser Arafat (1929–2004), born Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf al-Qudwa al-Husseini, was the 3rd Chairman of The PLO and first president of the Palestinian Authority
- Avi Cohen (1956–2010), Israeli international footballer
- Dalida (1933–1987), Italian-Egyptian singer who lived most of her life in France, received 55 golden records and was the first singer to receive a diamond disc
- Freddy Elbaiady (born 1971), Egyptian politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Cairo
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cairo is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cairo
What does the name Cairo mean?
What is the origin of the name Cairo?
How popular is Cairo in 2026?
When was Cairo most popular?
In which U.S. states is Cairo most popular?
Is Cairo a unisex name?
What names go well with Cairo?
What are nicknames or variants of Cairo?
About the name Cairo
Cairo is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1979 and has accumulated 10K births in the dataset. Cairo's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #306. Use the chart and map above to compare Cairo's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.