Cael
Boy name · #1950 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 79 baby boys were named Cael, placing it at #1950 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1247, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,785 boys born in 2025 was named Cael.
The 36-year story
Cael first appears in the Social Security records in 1989, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2011, when 272 boys were named Cael — good for #805 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Cael per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cael in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cael is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cael will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cael is most common
State-level data for Cael is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Cael
Statistically, parents drawn to Cael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jael, Asael, Kael, Neel, and Yariel.
JaelAsaelKaelNeelYarielYandelJarielPavel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 79 | #1942 |
| 2024 | 60 | #2345 |
| 2023 | 42 | #2952 |
| 2022 | 38 | #3151 |
| 2021 | 44 | #2819 |
| 2020 | 51 | #2505 |
| 2019 | 57 | #2364 |
| 2018 | 73 | #1994 |
| 2017 | 69 | #2032 |
| 2016 | 92 | #1694 |
| 2015 | 145 | #1247 |
| 2014 | 173 | #1102 |
| 2013 | 182 | #1052 |
| 2012 | 212 | #949 |
| 2011 | 272 | #805 |
| 2010 | 252 | #840 |
| 2009 | 270 | #816 |
| 2008 | 263 | #832 |
| 2007 | 214 | #925 |
| 2006 | 206 | #919 |
| 2005 | 215 | #854 |
| 2004 | 175 | #957 |
| 2003 | 176 | #933 |
| 2002 | 222 | #777 |
| 2001 | 55 | #1960 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cael a popular boy name?
Cael ranked #1950 among boys in 2025 with 79 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1247.
When was the name Cael most popular?
Cael peaked in 2011, when 272 American boys received the name (ranked #805 that year). Since 2011 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,785 newborn American boys was named Cael. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.