Cailee
A feminine name of English origin meaning "from the chalky lands".
Name Census estimates that about 1,730 living Americans carry the first name Cailee. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cailee today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cailee births was 1999 (77 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cailee. 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.
People living today
1.7K
~ 1 in 198,124 Americans
Peak year
1999
77 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,667
Tracked since 1986
Popularity
Cailee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cailee from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 606 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cailee 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 Cailee during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cailees live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Cailee, while Wisconsin, Utah, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cailee
The name Cailee originated from the Irish Gaelic language, with roots tracing back to medieval times. It is a feminine variant of the name Cailín, which translates to "young woman" or "girl." The name likely gained popularity during the Middle Ages in Ireland, where it was commonly used among the Gaelic-speaking population.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cailee can be found in the annals of Irish history, where it was mentioned as the name of a notable figure in the 12th century. Cailee Ní Mhaonaigh, born in 1145, was a renowned poet and storyteller from the northern regions of Ireland. Her works, though not extensively preserved, were celebrated for their vivid imagery and captivating narratives.
In the 16th century, Cailee O'Donnell, born in 1560, was a prominent figure in the O'Donnell clan of Ulster, Ireland. She played a significant role in the clan's political and cultural affairs, serving as a trusted advisor to her kinsmen during a turbulent period of Irish history.
During the 17th century, Cailee O'Brien, born in 1625, gained recognition as a skilled herbalist and healer. Her knowledge of traditional Irish remedies and natural cures was widely sought after, and she is credited with preserving many ancient healing practices that might have otherwise been lost.
In the realm of literature, Cailee O'Connor, born in 1785, was a celebrated Irish poet and playwright. Her works often explored themes of love, loss, and the enduring spirit of the Irish people. Her play "The Emerald Isle" was widely acclaimed and performed throughout Ireland and parts of Europe.
Another notable figure bearing the name Cailee was Cailee MacNeill, born in 1865. She was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Ireland. MacNeill established several schools for girls and played a pivotal role in promoting equal educational opportunities for women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Throughout its history, the name Cailee has maintained a strong connection to its Irish roots and has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various aspects of Irish culture, literature, and society.
People
Cailee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cailee 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
Cailee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cailee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,730 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cailee 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 198,124 US residents.
Is Cailee a common name?
We classify Cailee as "Rare". It ranks above 93.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,759 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cailee most popular?
The single biggest year for Cailee was 1999, when 77 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cailee is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cailee a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cailee 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.