Declining since 2002, #11,932 for girls today.
Popularity of Cailin since 1968
Babies named Cailin per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 9 |
| 1970s | 53 |
| 1980s | 423 |
| 1990s | 1,079 |
| 2000s | 1,425 |
| 2010s | 604 |
| 2020s | 120 |
Meaning & origin
Cailin is an Anglicized Irish name that first appeared on the U.S. baby name charts in 1968. Its popularity rose steadily through the 1990s, reaching a peak in 1998. Since 2002, its usage has been declining, and in 2025 it ranked 11,932, with approximately 1 in 229,610 girls receiving the name. The name is almost exclusively given to girls and is most commonly associated with Irish heritage.
Cailin is an Anglicized spelling of the Irish Gaelic word "cailín," meaning "girl" or "maiden." It is also used as a variant of the Irish name Caolán, which means "slender." The name gained popularity in the United States during the late 20th century, particularly in the 1990s.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cai, Cail, Lin
Sibling names for Cailin
Names that share Cailin's style, for a brother or sister.
