Calayah
A feminine name likely of modern invention, a blend of "Callie" and "Leah".
Name Census estimates that about 233 living Americans carry the first name Calayah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Calayah today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calayah births was 2024 (52 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calayah. 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
233
~ 1 in 1,471,049 Americans
Peak year
2024
52 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,081
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Calayah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calayah from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 138 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calayah 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 Calayah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Calayahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Illinois, Texas, California recorded the most babies named Calayah, while California, Texas, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 6 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Calayah
The name Calayah is a relatively modern invention, with no definitive origins or etymology. It appears to be a combination of various linguistic elements, blending sounds and syllables from different languages and cultures.
Some sources suggest that the name may have roots in Arabic or Persian, with the prefix "Cala" resembling words like "Kala" (meaning beauty or grace) or "Qala" (meaning fortress or stronghold). However, there is no clear evidence of the name's usage or mention in historical Arabic or Persian texts or records.
Other theories propose that the name may be a variation of the Hebrew name "Calah," which was the name of an ancient Assyrian city mentioned in the Bible. However, this connection is tenuous and lacks concrete historical documentation.
While the name Calayah does not have a well-established historical lineage, it has gained popularity in recent decades as a unique and aesthetically pleasing name choice. The earliest recorded instances of the name are from the late 20th century, but it remains relatively uncommon.
In terms of notable individuals bearing the name Calayah, there are a few examples, although none with significant historical significance:
1. Calayah Waring (born in 2004) is a Canadian child actress known for her role in the television series "The Umbrella Academy."
2. Calayah Evette (born in 2001) is an American social media influencer and content creator.
3. Calayah Groves (born in 2007) is a young American actress who has appeared in various television commercials and short films.
4. Calayah Wright (born in 2009) is a British child model and actress who has participated in various fashion shows and television programs.
5. Calayah Jamieson (born in 2005) is a Canadian competitive dancer and performer.
It is important to note that while these individuals may have achieved some level of recognition within their respective fields, the name Calayah itself does not hold significant historical weight or references beyond its modern usage as a unique and contemporary name choice.
People
Calayah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calayah 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
Calayah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calayah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 233 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calayah 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 1,471,049 US residents.
Is Calayah a common name?
We classify Calayah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 235 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Calayah most popular?
The single biggest year for Calayah was 2024, when 52 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calayah is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Calayah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Calayah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Calayah 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.
Is Calayah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Calayah in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Calayah can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Calayah?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Calayah at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.