Declining since 2003, #3,832 for girls today.
Popularity of Kaley since 1967
Babies named Kaley per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 20 |
| 1970s | 130 |
| 1980s | 1,583 |
| 1990s | 4,905 |
| 2000s | 4,622 |
| 2010s | 2,005 |
| 2020s | 417 |
Meaning & origin
Kaley first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1967, but its popularity took off in the 1990s and peaked in 2003. Since then, it has been declining, with a current ranking of 3832 in 2025 and a rarity of 1 in 42297 newborns. The name is most common in California and Texas. Like many modern respellings, Kaley reflects a trend toward personalized variants of traditional names like Kaylee, itself an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Caolaidhe. While not as ubiquitous as Katelyn or Caitlyn, Kaley offers a streamlined spelling that remains recognizable. Its rise and fall mirror the broader trajectory of 'Kay-' names, which flourished in the late 20th century and have since cooled.
Kaley is a modern spelling variant of Kayley, which itself is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Caolaidhe, meaning 'descendant of Caoladh', where Caoladh means 'slender' or 'fair'. The name gained popularity in the United States during the late 20th century, influenced by similar-sounding names like Katelyn and Kaylee. It entered the U.S. Social Security baby name data in 1967 and saw a surge in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Where Kaley 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: Kale, Kay, Lee
Sibling names for Kaley
Names that share Kaley's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Kaley
Names whose popularity has moved with Kaley's over the last 50 years.
