Girl · #6,008 in 2026

Caye

A cay, also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef.

Current Rank
#6,008
Peak Rank
#4,918 (1957)
Total Babies
47
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1950
First Year
1964
Last Year
1957
Peak Year
#4918
Peak Rank
47
Total Count
8
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Caye

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A cay, also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The Lucayan word for "island", cairi , became cayo in Spanish and "cay" / ˈ k iː / in English (spelled "key" in American English).

The Story of Caye

Caye first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1950, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1957, when 7 Cayes were born — ranking #4,918 that year. As of 2026, Caye ranks #6,008 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 47 Cayes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
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SD
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OH
PA
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Top 10
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No data

Names that sound like Caye

Phonetically similar names — useful when Caye 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 Caye

What does the name Caye mean?
A cay, also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island on the surface of a coral reef. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, including in the Caribbean and on the Great Barrier Reef and Belize Barrier Reef.
How popular is Caye in 2026?
In 2026, Caye ranks #6,008 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Caye most popular?
Caye reached its peak popularity in 1957, ranking #4,918 that year with 7 babies given the name.
Is Caye a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Caye is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Caye?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Caye include Arthurene, Valle, Catheleen. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Caye

Caye is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1950 and has accumulated 47 births in the dataset. Caye's peak popularity came in 1957 when it ranked #4,918. Use the chart and map above to compare Caye'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.