Given name & surname
Carey
“one who rides a chariot”·“of the chariot”
In English use, Carey has a related form in Carew. Interpretations include “one who rides a chariot” (Latin) and “of the chariot” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Carey has a related form in Carew. Interpretations include “one who rides a chariot” (Latin) and “of the chariot” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Carey is a variant of Cary. An origin associated with Cary is Celtic. In English use, Carey has a related form in Carew. An origin associated with Carew is Latin.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Carey is used as a spelling variant of Cary.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Carey through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 29,621
- 16,880 boys · 12,741 girls
- Most popular year
- 1975
- 1,058 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #6,519 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −42%
- Cooling
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 71% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,519 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 38.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 461 in 1957. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 22,072 as a first name in 2020; 53,736 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Carey’s family of names
Carey has an alternative spelling in Cary. Carey has a related form in Cary. In English usage, Carey has a related form in Carew.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Carey
- Carey MulliganBritish actress (born 1985)
- Carey LowellAmerican actressborn 1961
- Carey PriceCanadian ice hockey goaltenderborn 1987
- Estes KefauverAmerican politician (1903–1963)
- Carey BellAmerican blues musician (1936–2007)
- Carey WilsonAmerican screenwriter, voice actor and film producer (1889-1962)
- Carey McLeodJamaican athleteborn 1998
- Carey LoftinAmerican actor (1914-1997)
- Carey HartAmerican freestyle motocross, motorcycle and off-road truck racerborn 1975
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Carey, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Jamey
“she who supplants” · “he who supplants”
71% boys · 29% girls
Torrey
“victorious woman; winner; conqueror”
67% boys · 33% girls
Cortney
“a courteous woman; courtly” · “a courteous man; courtly”
65% boys · 35% girls
Azure
“sky blue” · “resembling a blue semiprecious stone”
52% boys · 48% girls
Casey
“vigilant, wakeful” · “a vigilant woman”
74% boys · 26% girls
Aquila
“resembling an eagle; a constellation”
50% boys · 50% girls
Lanier
“one who works with wool”
57% boys · 43% girls
Torrance
“from the little hills”
70% boys · 30% girls