Kailey
Kailey is a modern English feminine first name. It is a spelling variant of Kaylee that became popular in the US following the release of the British rock group Marillion's song "Kayleigh" in 1985.
Meaning & Origin of Kailey
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kailey is a modern English feminine first name. It is a spelling variant of Kaylee that became popular in the US following the release of the British rock group Marillion's song "Kayleigh" in 1985.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kailey
Kailey first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1970, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2004, when 1,439 Kaileys were born — ranking #228 that year. As of 2026, Kailey ranks #1,410 for baby girls with 157 births, falling sharply (-45%). In total, more than 27K Kaileys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Kailey
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Kailey Leila , Canadian-born Guyanese footballer
- Kailey Willis , Maltese footballer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Kailey
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kailey 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 Kailey
What does the name Kailey mean?
How popular is Kailey in 2026?
When was Kailey most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kailey most popular?
Is Kailey a unisex name?
What names go well with Kailey?
About the name Kailey
Kailey is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1970 and has accumulated 27K births in the dataset. Kailey's peak popularity came in 2004 when it ranked #228. Use the chart and map above to compare Kailey's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2004 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.