Declining since 2011, #2,583 for girls today.
Popularity of Carleigh since 1975
Babies named Carleigh per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 22 |
| 1980s | 221 |
| 1990s | 1,047 |
| 2000s | 2,099 |
| 2010s | 2,192 |
| 2020s | 533 |
Meaning & origin
Carleigh is a modern feminine name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1975, a time when invented spellings of established names were gaining traction. Its peak came in 2010, the year it reached its highest rank in the Social Security data. Since 2011, however, its usage has been declining. In 2023, Carleigh ranked 2,583, with roughly 1 in 24,000 newborn girls given the name. The name has seen the most popularity in Louisiana, Virginia, and North Carolina, suggesting a regional preference for the spelling with the -leigh suffix. Carleigh is a respelling of Carly or Carlie, which are themselves diminutives of Carla or Caroline. The base name Carl comes from the Germanic word for 'free man', giving Carleigh the meaning 'strong' or 'free woman'.
Carleigh is a modern English feminine variant of Carl, itself derived from the Old English ceorl or the Germanic *karlaz, meaning 'free man' or 'strong'. The name emerged as a distinct feminine form in the late 20th century, following the popularity of names like Carly and Carlie. The -leigh suffix, inspired by place-name elements, became fashionable for girls' names in the 1970s and 1980s.
Where Carleigh is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Carrie, Lee, Leigh
Sibling names for Carleigh
Names that share Carleigh's style, for a brother or sister.
