Caley
Caley is a unisex given name of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Caoilainn. The name means "slim" and "fair".
Meaning & Origin of Caley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Caley is a unisex given name of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Caoilainn. The name means "slim" and "fair".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Caley
As a girl name
Caley first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1973, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1994: 109 births, good for #1,454 nationwide. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 35% of all recorded Caleys. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 2K Caleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Caley as a boy name dates back to 1928, when 6 babies received it. 1979 was its biggest year on record, with 16 newborns named Caley — #2,777 in the national rankings. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 59% of all recorded Caleys. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1992 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 151 Caleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Caley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Caley 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 Caley
What does the name Caley mean?
How popular is Caley in 2026?
When was Caley most popular?
In which U.S. states is Caley most popular?
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About the name Caley
Caley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1973 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Caley's peak popularity came in 1994 when it ranked #1,454. Use the chart and map above to compare Caley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1994 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl 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.