Calleigh
A feminine name of Gaelic/Irish origin meaning "bright-headed".
Name Census estimates that about 2,216 living Americans carry the first name Calleigh. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Calleigh today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calleigh births was 2009 (335 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calleigh. 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
- • Calleigh is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 16 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.2K
~ 1 in 154,673 Americans
Peak year
2009
335 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,162
Tracked since 1991
Popularity
Calleigh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calleigh from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 1,000 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calleigh 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 Calleigh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Calleighs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 29 states and territories. Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Calleigh, while South Carolina, Oklahoma, Minnesota recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 37 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Calleigh
The name Calleigh is an English variant of the French name Caillie, which is a feminine form of the Old French name Caillie, meaning "quail." The name Caillie is derived from the Late Latin word "calicula," a diminutive form of "calix," meaning "small cup." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a small cup or vessel.
The name Calleigh gained popularity in the late 20th century, particularly in the United States, but its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in France. The earliest recorded use of the name Calleigh is believed to be in the 15th century, although specific records are scarce.
One of the earliest notable individuals named Calleigh was Calleigh de Montfort, a French noblewoman born in the late 13th century. She was the daughter of Robert de Montfort, a prominent figure during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
In the 16th century, Calleigh Beaumont, an English poet and courtier, was known for her poetic works and her influence in the court of King Henry VIII.
During the 17th century, Calleigh Wyndham, an English aristocrat, was a prominent figure in the English Civil War and a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause.
In the 19th century, Calleigh Stanhope was a British artist and philanthropist who was known for her landscapes and her support of various charitable organizations.
In more recent history, Calleigh Duquesne is a fictional character in the popular crime drama series "CSI: Miami," portrayed by actress Emily Procter. The character's name has contributed to the increased popularity of the name Calleigh in the 21st century.
While the name Calleigh has its roots in the French language and medieval history, it has evolved and gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. Despite its ancient origins, the name continues to be used and appreciated for its unique sound and historical significance.
People
Calleigh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calleigh 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
Calleigh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calleigh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,216 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calleigh 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 154,673 US residents.
Is Calleigh a common name?
We classify Calleigh as "Rare". It ranks above 94.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,240 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Calleigh most popular?
The single biggest year for Calleigh was 2009, when 335 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calleigh is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Calleigh a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Calleigh 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.