Fun Facts About the Name Caileigh
- More than 1 thousand babies named Caileigh: U.S. records list 1,177 babies given the name Caileigh from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Caileigh Mean?
Caileigh is a modern English spelling of the Irish name Ceilidh, which comes from the Gaelic word cèilidh, meaning "a visit" or "a social gathering." The word goes back to Old Irish céilide, a visit or social call. In Ireland and the Scottish Highlands a cèilidh is an informal evening of music, song, and storytelling, so the name is generally understood in that sense - a gathering or celebration - rather than as a description of a person.
The -eigh ending is an English respelling of the same sound. It is not related to the Old English place-name element -leah ("wood" or "clearing") that appears in surnames and unrelated given names such as Leigh. Some treatments of Kayleigh-type names instead connect them with Kayla, a short form of Katherine or Michaela; for the spelling Caileigh the Gaelic derivation is the usual explanation, but the two readings are not always kept apart.
Caileigh Name History & Origins
Caileigh belongs to a cluster of spellings - Ceilidh, Kayleigh, Kaylee, Kailee - that entered use in the English-speaking world in the later 20th century. The Gaelic word cèilidh has been used as a personal name in Ireland and Scotland, but far more often it names the gathering itself than a person.
The -eigh spelling follows a pattern that grew common in English girls' names from the 1970s onward, in which a familiar sound is written with a longer, more decorative sequence of letters. Kayleigh became a familiar spelling in Britain in the 1980s; the band Marillion released a song titled "Kayleigh" in 1985, one of the better-known uses of the name from that decade. Caileigh is a later and less common variant that keeps the pronunciation while replacing K with C and reshaping the middle of the word.
How Popular is the Name Caileigh?
Caileigh has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2008. Its best rank was #2,852 in 2001.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,575 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #8,016 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #6,460 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #5,669 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #6,213 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2020 | #5,894 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2019 | #6,019 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2018 | #3,866 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 2017 | #3,931 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 2016 | #3,794 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 2015 | #3,395 | 47 | 0.0026% |
| 2014 | #4,792 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2013 | #4,672 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #3,595 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 2011 | #3,059 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 2010 | #2,984 | 57 | 0.0032% |
| 2009 | #3,096 | 55 | 0.0030% |
| 2008 | #2,861 | 62 | 0.0033% |
| 2007 | #3,609 | 45 | 0.0023% |
| 2006 | #4,011 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2005 | #3,415 | 44 | 0.0024% |
| 2004 | #3,573 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 2003 | #4,046 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 2002 | #4,089 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 2001 | #2,852 | 51 | 0.0028% |
| 2000 | #3,464 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1999 | #3,055 | 43 | 0.0024% |
| 1998 | #4,985 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1997 | #4,399 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1996 | #6,102 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1995 | #3,505 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1994 | #4,136 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1993 | #4,411 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1992 | #4,874 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1991 | #9,453 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #6,926 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #7,520 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #8,501 | 8 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Caileigh Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Caileigh's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Caileigh's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.