Cassey
A feminine name of English origin meaning "brave" or "courageous".
Name Census estimates that about 1,761 living Americans carry the first name Cassey. It is a predominantly female name (91.6% of registrations). The average person named Cassey today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cassey births was 1986 (98 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cassey. 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
1.8K
~ 1 in 194,636 Americans
Peak year
1986
98 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
1997 SSA rank
#9,481
Tracked since 1968
Gender
Gender distribution for Cassey
Cassey leans heavily female at 91.6% of total registrations, but 155 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Cassey as a male name
- Ranked #9,481 in 1997
- 5 male births in 1997
- Peak: 1987 (13 births)
Cassey as a female name
- Ranked #12,458 in 2021
- 7 female births in 2021
- Peak: 1986 (98 births)
Popularity
Cassey: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cassey from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 799 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cassey 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 Cassey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Casseys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Cassey, while Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 27 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cassey
The name Cassey has its origins in the Latin language, where it is derived from the word "castus," meaning "pure" or "chaste." The name is believed to have originated during the Roman era, when Latin was widely spoken throughout the Mediterranean region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cassey can be found in ancient Roman texts, where it was used as a masculine name. However, over time, the name became more commonly associated with females, particularly in English-speaking countries.
In the early Christian era, the name Cassey gained popularity among followers of the faith, as it was seen as a virtuous and pure name, reflective of the Christian values of chastity and purity.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Cassey was Saint Cassia, a Christian martyr from the 3rd century AD. Saint Cassia was a young woman who refused to renounce her faith and was executed for her beliefs. Her story of unwavering devotion and sacrifice contributed to the popularity of the name among early Christians.
Another significant figure associated with the name Cassey was Cassia Longina, a Roman noblewoman who lived during the 1st century AD. She was known for her intelligence and literary skills, and several of her works have survived to this day.
In the Middle Ages, the name Cassey became more widespread across Europe, particularly in England and France. One notable bearer of the name during this time was Cassey of Arles, a 6th-century French saint known for her charitable works and devotion to the poor.
During the Renaissance period, the name Cassey continued to be popular, especially among the upper classes. One famous example was Cassey Dugdale, an English noblewoman and poet who lived in the 16th century.
Throughout history, the name Cassey has been associated with various occupations and fields, including the arts, literature, and religion. Some other notable individuals bearing the name include Cassey Fey, an American screenwriter and actress from the early 20th century, and Cassey Murphy, an Irish painter and sculptor active in the late 19th century.
People
Cassey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cassey 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
Cassey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cassey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,761 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cassey 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 194,636 US residents.
Is Cassey a common name?
We classify Cassey as "Rare". It ranks above 93.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,846 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cassey most popular?
The single biggest year for Cassey was 1986, when 98 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cassey is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cassey a female name?
Yes, 91.6% of people registered as Cassey 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.