Kailie
An English feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly a variant of Kaylee.
Name Census estimates that about 1,290 living Americans carry the first name Kailie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kailie today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kailie births was 1999 (71 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kailie. 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
1.3K
~ 1 in 265,701 Americans
Peak year
1999
71 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2023 SSA rank
#14,234
Tracked since 1984
Popularity
Kailie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kailie 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 579 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
Kailie 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 Kailie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kailies live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Kailie, while Michigan, Illinois, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 56 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kailie
The name Kailie is a modern variation of the traditional Scottish name Cailín, which is derived from the Gaelic word "caille" meaning "girl" or "young woman." This name has its roots in the Celtic culture of Scotland and can be traced back to the Middle Ages.
In ancient Scottish folklore, the name Cailín was often associated with female characters who embodied the virtues of strength, resilience, and independence. It was believed that bestowing this name upon a child would imbue her with these qualities, ensuring her ability to navigate the challenges of life with courage and determination.
While the name Cailín has been recorded in various historical documents from Scotland, one of the earliest notable references can be found in the 14th-century literary work "The Brus" by John Barbour. This epic poem recounts the life and struggles of Robert the Bruce, a central figure in the Scottish Wars of Independence against England.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kailie or its variations. One such figure was Cailín Mhór, a legendary Irish warrior woman who lived in the 16th century. She was renowned for her bravery and leadership skills, commanding her own band of warriors in battles against English forces during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.
In the 18th century, Cailín MacIntyre (1723-1799) was a renowned Scottish Gaelic poet and songwriter, whose works celebrated the beauty of her homeland and the resilience of her people. Her compositions have been cherished by generations of Scots and have contributed significantly to the preservation of Gaelic culture and language.
Another notable figure was Cailín Ní Chuilleanáin (1900-1957), an Irish artist and educator who played a pivotal role in the revival of traditional Irish arts and crafts. Her intricate needlework and embroidery pieces are celebrated as masterpieces of Irish cultural heritage.
In more recent times, Kailie Rae Langer (1918-2006) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. Her whimsical tales and vibrant illustrations captured the imaginations of young readers, earning her numerous accolades and awards throughout her prolific career.
While the name Kailie has evolved from its Gaelic roots, it continues to carry the essence of its origin – a symbol of strength, resilience, and independence, reflecting the enduring spirit of the Celtic cultures from which it emerged.
People
Kailie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kailie as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kailie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kailie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,290 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kailie 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 265,701 US residents.
Is Kailie a common name?
We classify Kailie as "Rare". It ranks above 91.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,318 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kailie most popular?
The single biggest year for Kailie was 1999, when 71 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kailie is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kailie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kailie 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.