Cayleigh
Girl name · #4923 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Cayleigh? In official American birth records, Cayleigh has been tracked continuously since 1986, giving it 39 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 27 baby girls were named Cayleigh, placing it at #4923 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2382, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 66,667 girls born in 2025 was named Cayleigh.
The 39-year story
Cayleigh first appears in the Social Security records in 1986, when 16 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2009, when 162 girls were named Cayleigh — good for #1441 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 Cayleigh per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cayleigh against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cayleigh in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cayleigh is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cayleigh will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cayleigh is most common
State-level data for Cayleigh 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 Cayleigh
Statistically, parents drawn to Cayleigh tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carleigh, Hayleigh, Baileigh, Jayleigh, and Rileigh.
CarleighHayleighBaileighJayleighRileighAnaleighAnsleighKaileigh
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cayleigh | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | #4878 |
| 2024 | 29 | #4669 |
| 2023 | 26 | #4999 |
| 2022 | 37 | #3963 |
| 2021 | 61 | #2784 |
| 2020 | 74 | #2376 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2962 |
| 2018 | 61 | #2782 |
| 2017 | 64 | #2689 |
| 2016 | 103 | #1942 |
| 2015 | 77 | #2382 |
| 2014 | 103 | #1940 |
| 2013 | 131 | #1634 |
| 2012 | 115 | #1782 |
| 2011 | 135 | #1598 |
| 2010 | 142 | #1562 |
| 2009 | 162 | #1441 |
| 2008 | 94 | #2137 |
| 2007 | 75 | #2485 |
| 2006 | 71 | #2555 |
| 2005 | 82 | #2225 |
| 2004 | 74 | #2326 |
| 2003 | 48 | #3085 |
| 2002 | 54 | #2780 |
| 2001 | 48 | #2963 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Cayleigh?
In official American birth records, the name Cayleigh first appeared in 1986 (over 39 years ago), when 16 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 39 years.
Is Cayleigh a popular girl name?
Cayleigh ranked #4923 among girls in 2025 with 27 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2382.
When was the name Cayleigh most popular?
Cayleigh peaked in 2009, when 162 American girls received the name (ranked #1441 that year). Since 2009 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cayleigh?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 66,667 newborn American girls was named Cayleigh. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.