Kaylie

Meaning & origin

Kaylie is a modern feminine name that emerged as a spelling variant of the increasingly popular Kaylee and Kayleigh in the late 20th century. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1968 and saw a steady rise, reaching its peak popularity in 2006. Since then, its usage has been declining, dropping to rank 1452 in 2025, with about 1 in 10,860 newborn girls receiving the name. Kaylie's sound and spelling align with the fashionable -ee ending trend for girls' names, and it has seen particular favor in states like Alabama, Ohio, and Washington. While its ultimate root can be traced to the Greek katharos (pure) via Katherine, Kaylie itself is a distinctly modern American coinage, blending the familiar Kay with the lively suffix -lie.

Kaylie is a modern English name, primarily a spelling variant of Kaylee or Kayleigh. The name Kaylee itself emerged in the 20th century, likely as a combination of the name Kay (a diminutive of Katherine) with the popular suffix -lee. Katherine derives from the Greek 'Aikaterine', which was later associated with 'katharos' meaning 'pure'. Kaylie gained popularity in the United States during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.