Kailey
Kailey was the 1420th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 153 babies. Its best year was 2004, when it ranked 228th with 1,439 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 889 places. More babies were named Kailey in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Kaylee) Origin not documented
- Rank in 2025
- #1,420 girls, down 572 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 153girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20041,439 babies
- Total since 1880
- 27,254babies recorded
What does the name Kailey mean?
Kailey is a spelling of Kaylee, pronounced the same way, so it shares Kaylee's meaning and origin.
Kaylee is a late-20th-century coinage. Wiktionary gives two explanations: a combination of Kay and Lee, or a variant of the surnames Cayley or Keeley. Wikipedia describes it as a modern English blend of Kay and Lee. It became popular in the US in the 1990s and 2000s, with many spellings such as Kailey and Kayleigh. Because it was made for its sound, it has no single meaning.
How sure is this? Not documented. A modern blend (Kay + Lee) or a surname variant; no meaning of its own.
Related names: Kayleigh, Kailey, Kaylie, Caylee, Kylie.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Kaylee', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Kaylee', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Kailey popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 10 since 2004.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,420 | 153 |
| 2020 | #848 | 322 |
| 2010 | #384 | 834 |
| 2000 | #305 | 1,050 |
| 1990 | #603 | 376 |
| 1980 | #11,092 | 5 |
| 1970 | #8,578 | 5 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Kailey, counting every spelling?
Kailey is a spelling of Kaylee, a name family that ranked #115 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,420 for Kailey on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,743 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaylee | 1,205 | #255 | 8,048 |
| Kaeli | 358 | #756 | 1,257 |
| Keily | 194 | #1,191 | 1,257 |
| Kailey | 153 | #1,420 | 1,086 |
| Kaylie | 148 | #1,454 | 1,008 |
| Caylee | 84 | #2,200 | 659 |
| Kailee | 98 | #1,969 | 624 |
| Caeli | 90 | #2,081 | 503 |
| Kayley | 45 | #3,429 | 284 |
| Kayli | 43 | #3,548 | 251 |
| Kaely | 47 | #3,317 | 223 |
| Kaily | 35 | #4,113 | 212 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Kailey?
153 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Kailey (0.04 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Kailey born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 55 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Kailey.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Kailey?
About 26,900 people born in the US named Kailey are alive today, with a median age of 22; half are between 16 and 27. That makes Kailey mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Kailey by state
How common Kailey was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Florida (1.6×), Illinois (1.6×), New York (1.5×). In 25 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Kailey: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kailey, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Kailey
How popular is the name Kailey?
Kailey was the 1420th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 153 babies. Its best year was 2004, when it ranked 228th with 1,439 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 889 places. More babies were named Kailey in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Kailey a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Kailey in the US.
Where is Kailey most popular?
In 2021–2025, Kailey was most common in Florida (0.22 per 1,000 girls), followed by Illinois and New York.