Declining since 2012, #1,423 for girls today.
Popularity of Kaleah since 1978
Babies named Kaleah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 12 |
| 1980s | 61 |
| 1990s | 247 |
| 2000s | 1,075 |
| 2010s | 2,021 |
| 2020s | 1,023 |
Meaning & origin
Kaleah is a modern feminine name first recorded in 1978. It gained gradual popularity through the 1990s and early 2000s, reaching its peak rank of 1,006 in 2013. Since then, its usage has declined; as of 2025 it ranked 1,423, with approximately 1 in 10,574 newborn girls receiving the name. The name has been most common in Mississippi, Maryland, and Alabama. While its exact origins are unclear, Kaleah fits a pattern of invented names built from fashionable sounds and suffixes, a trend that has produced many similar names since the late 20th century.
Kaleah is a modern coinage that emerged in the late 20th century, first recorded in 1978. It likely blends elements of popular names like Kaylee or Kailey with the suffix -lea or -lia, or may be a respelling of Kaela. The name gained modest popularity in the United States during the 1990s and peaked in 2013.
Where Kaleah is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kale, Leah, Kay
Sibling names for Kaleah
Names that share Kaleah's style, for a brother or sister.
