Given name
Caelan
“a slender warrior; one who is slender and fair”
Caelan is used as a given name. One interpretation is “a slender warrior; one who is slender and fair.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “a slender warrior; one who is slender and fair.”
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1990. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Caelan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,135
- 2,470 boys · 665 girls
- Most popular year
- 2001
- 174 babies
- 2025
- 49
- #2,892 for boys · #13,508 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −14%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 89% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 43 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,892 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 6.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 135 in 2001. It also appeared in 6 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,562 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Caelan’s family of names
Caelan has a related form in Cailin. Caelan has a related form in Cailin. Caelan has a related form in Cailyn.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Caelan
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Caelan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Keelan
“a slender and beautiful woman” · “a slender man”
95% boys · 5% girls
Cavan
“a handsome man”
>99% boys
Conlan
“a hero”
>99% boys
Cowan
“from the hollow near the hill; one of twins”
>99% boys
Keegan
“small and fiery woman” · “a small and fiery man”
90% boys · 10% girls
Sheehan
“little peaceful one; peacemaker” · “a small and peaceful man”
93% boys · 7% girls
Rohan
“a red-haired man” · “one who ascends”
99% boys · 1% girls
Tiernan
“lord of the manor”
95% boys · 5% girls