Declining since 2022, #8,860 for girls today.
Popularity of Khaleah since 1985
Babies named Khaleah per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2014, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Khaleah's real moment was 2021.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 29 |
| 2000s | 130 |
| 2010s | 180 |
| 2020s | 98 |
Meaning & origin
Khaleah is a modern American invented name, first recorded in 1985. It is a phonetic respelling of names like Kaylee or Kehlani, reflecting a trend toward distinctive spellings. The name reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking 8,860 in 2025 with an incidence of 1 in 146,115 births. While its trajectory has been falling since 2022, Khaleah remains a fresh, creative choice unencumbered by historical baggage. Its sound aligns with popular contemporary names like Kailani and Malia, making it a stylish addition to a modern sibling set.
Khaleah is a modern American coinage, first recorded in 1985. It appears to be a creative respelling of popular names like Kaylee or Kehlani, both of which derive from the Irish surname Caollaidhe or the Hawaiian name Kehlani. The name has no traditional etymology but follows a pattern of combining familiar sounds (Kay- or Ke- plus the trendy -lee/-leah suffix). Its usage has been sporadic, peaking in 2021.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kha, Leah, Kiki
Sibling names for Khaleah
Names that share Khaleah's style, for a brother or sister.
