Declining since 2009, #799 for girls today.
Popularity of Kayleigh since 1984
Babies named Kayleigh per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 2,677 |
| 1990s | 6,634 |
| 2000s | 11,770 |
| 2010s | 10,235 |
| 2020s | 3,245 |
Meaning & origin
Kayleigh entered the U.S. naming landscape in the mid-1980s as a modern coinage, likely combining the sounds of Kay or Kayla with the fashionable suffix -leigh. It experienced a steady rise in popularity, reaching its peak rank in 2009 at 799. Since then, its use has been declining, though it remains a recognizable choice, especially in states like Mississippi, South Carolina, and Arkansas, where it has been most common. In 2025, about 1 in every 4,727 girls was named Kayleigh. The name exemplifies the trend of creating new names by blending familiar elements, a pattern common in modern American naming practices.
Kayleigh first appeared in the United States in the mid-1980s. It is a modern coinage, likely formed from the name Kay or Kayla combined with the fashionable suffix -leigh, which itself is a respelling of the English word 'lea' meaning 'meadow' or 'clearing'. The name gained popularity in the 1990s and 2000s, particularly in the southern United States.
Where Kayleigh 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.
“Kayleigh” around the world
Where Kayleigh lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
Ireland
21
babies in 2025
Sources: CSO Ireland (Ireland).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kay, Kay Kay, Leigh
Sibling names for Kayleigh
Names that share Kayleigh's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Kayleigh
Names whose popularity has moved with Kayleigh's over the last 50 years.
