Caia
A feminine name of Latin origin referring to the mythological goddess of fire.
Name Census estimates that about 1,127 living Americans carry the first name Caia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Caia today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Caia births was 2023 (89 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Caia. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Caia is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 10 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 304,130 Americans
Peak year
2023
89 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,131
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Caia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Caia from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 542 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Caia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Caia by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Caia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Caias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 12 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Caia, while Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 26 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Caia
The name Caia has its roots in ancient Rome, where it was derived from the Latin word "gaudium," meaning "joy" or "rejoice." It was a popular name among Roman families during the height of the Roman Empire, particularly from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Caia can be found in ancient Roman inscriptions and historical records. A notable example is Caia Afrania, a Roman woman who lived during the 1st century BC and was known for her philanthropy and involvement in public affairs.
In the early days of Christianity, the name Caia gained additional significance. It was borne by Saint Caia, a 3rd-century martyr who was executed for her Christian beliefs during the persecution under the Roman Emperor Diocletian.
As Christianity spread throughout Europe, the name Caia continued to be used, although its popularity waxed and waned in different regions. In medieval times, it was particularly common in parts of Italy and Spain.
One notable figure from this period was Caia di Pierfrancesco de' Medici (1456-1487), a member of the influential Medici family in Florence, Italy. She was the daughter of Pierfrancesco de' Medici and was known for her beauty and patronage of the arts.
During the Renaissance, the name Caia was embraced by several prominent Italian families, including the Borgias and the Sforzas. Caia Sforza (1465-1539) was an Italian noblewoman and the Countess of Santa Fiora, known for her influential role in the political affairs of her time.
In the 17th century, the name gained popularity in England, where it was sometimes spelled as "Caia" or "Kaya." One notable bearer was Caia Shaa (1603-1680), an English writer and translator who was among the first women to publish literary works in English.
Another significant figure was Caia Amatuzzi (1701-1787), an Italian painter and engraver who was active in Rome during the 18th century. She was known for her portraiture and religious works, and her art can be found in various churches and collections throughout Italy.
While the name Caia has become less common in modern times, it has left a lasting legacy across different cultures and time periods, reflecting its rich history and associations with joy, resilience, and artistic expression.
People
Caia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Caia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Caia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Caia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,127 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Caia going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 304,130 US residents.
Is Caia a common name?
We classify Caia as "Rare". It ranks above 90.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,136 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Caia most popular?
The single biggest year for Caia was 2023, when 89 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Caia is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Caia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Caia in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.