Find out how popular the first name Caine has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Caine by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Caine is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 87 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Caine.

The history of the first name Caine

The name Caine has its origins in the Biblical story of Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve. It is derived from the Hebrew word "qanah", meaning "to acquire" or "to possess". The name has been used for centuries, appearing in various forms and spellings across different cultures.

In ancient Hebrew texts, Cain is portrayed as a farmer who became the first murderer after killing his brother Abel out of jealousy. The story of Cain and Abel is found in the Book of Genesis and is considered one of the most significant narratives in Judeo-Christian tradition.

The name Caine gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and other parts of Europe. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Caine de Caen, a Norman nobleman who lived in the 11th century and fought alongside William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Caine. In the 17th century, Caine Scudamore (1609-1668) was an English landowner and politician who served as a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War. Sir Caine Rainsford (1610-1684) was an English diplomat and historian who served as the envoy to Constantinople during the reign of King Charles II.

In the literary world, Caine was the pen name of the British author Thomas Henry Hall Caine (1853-1931), who wrote several popular novels, including "The Manxman" and "The Eternal City". He was also a prominent figure in the Manx cultural revival movement.

Another famous bearer of the name was Caine Mutiny, an American naval officer who served in World War II and whose court-martial trial for mutiny inspired the 1951 novel "The Caine Mutiny" by Herman Wouk. The novel was later adapted into a critically acclaimed film starring Humphrey Bogart.

In the world of sports, Caine Eckstein (born 1976) is a former American football player who had a successful career in the National Football League, playing as a running back for several teams, including the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Caine was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Caine, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!