Fun Facts About the Name Kaylei
- More than 2 thousand babies named Kaylei: U.S. records list 2,133 babies given the name Kaylei from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kaylei Mean?
Kaylei is an English-language given name, a modern respelling of Kaylee. It is built from two parts: Kay, a short form of Katherine, and the ending -lee, also written -ley, -leigh, or -lei. That ending goes back to Old English lēah, "a woodland clearing or meadow." Kay, as a short form of Katherine, is traditionally glossed as "pure," but the Greek name behind Katherine, Aikaterine, has an uncertain origin, so the "pure" sense is a customary interpretation rather than a settled fact.
Taken as a compound, Kaylei is commonly described as meaning "pure meadow." That sense is assembled from its two elements rather than recorded for the name as a whole. Because -lee is a surname-style ending and not a diminutive, Kaylei does not mean "little Kay," even though it looks like a nickname with a suffix attached.
Kaylei Name History & Origins
Kaylee and its variants emerged in the United States during the 20th century, part of a broad pattern of girls' names that pair a short, familiar first element with a -lee, -ley, or -leigh ending. Kay had already been used as an independent English given name, mostly as a short form of Katherine, before the longer two-part forms appeared. The -ee and -ey endings on names of this type became especially common in the later 1900s, alongside forms such as Ashlee, Brylee, and Haylee.
The spelling Kayleigh became widely familiar in Britain after the band Marillion released a song titled "Kayleigh" in 1985; the song is often linked to the spelling's visibility, though similar names were already in circulation. Kaylei is a rarer variant that substitutes -ei for -ee or -ey, one of many respellings of the same basic name (Kaylee, Kayley, Kayleigh, Kailee, Kaley, and others).
Kaylei is sometimes confused with the Irish-derived name Kayla, which has been explained separately, sometimes from the Gaelic Cadhla, and with the English surname Cayley. Those names look similar but are not the source of Kaylei; its usual basis is the English combination of Kay and -lee.
How Popular is the Name Kaylei?
Kaylei 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 2007. Its best rank was #1,673 in 2006.
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 | #7,317 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #5,506 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 2023 | #4,606 | 30 | 0.0019% |
| 2022 | #5,728 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2021 | #4,051 | 36 | 0.0022% |
| 2020 | #3,870 | 37 | 0.0023% |
| 2019 | #3,195 | 50 | 0.0030% |
| 2018 | #3,316 | 48 | 0.0028% |
| 2017 | #2,914 | 57 | 0.0033% |
| 2016 | #3,440 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 2015 | #2,824 | 62 | 0.0035% |
| 2014 | #2,600 | 68 | 0.0038% |
| 2013 | #2,857 | 60 | 0.0034% |
| 2012 | #2,036 | 95 | 0.0054% |
| 2011 | #1,799 | 113 | 0.0064% |
| 2010 | #2,177 | 90 | 0.0051% |
| 2009 | #1,925 | 109 | 0.0059% |
| 2008 | #1,895 | 112 | 0.0059% |
| 2007 | #1,709 | 128 | 0.0067% |
| 2006 | #1,673 | 126 | 0.0066% |
| 2005 | #1,697 | 117 | 0.0063% |
| 2004 | #1,933 | 97 | 0.0053% |
| 2003 | #1,793 | 105 | 0.0057% |
| 2002 | #2,189 | 76 | 0.0042% |
| 2001 | #2,040 | 83 | 0.0046% |
| 2000 | #2,470 | 62 | 0.0034% |
| 1999 | #2,450 | 59 | 0.0033% |
| 1998 | #3,042 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1997 | #5,121 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1996 | #5,173 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1995 | #5,820 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1994 | #6,155 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #8,350 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #5,152 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1991 | #6,091 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1990 | #7,570 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #6,336 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #9,757 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #6,112 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #8,082 | 8 | 0.0005% |
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 Kaylei Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. 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.
✦ Kaylei's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kaylei's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.