Given name & surname
Kaija
“gull (bird)”
Kaija is a surname. It is used in Finnish.
Meaning & origin
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1967. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kaija through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,028
- 0 boys · 1,028 girls
- Most popular year
- 2002
- 49 babies
- 2025
- 14
- #7,663 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −28%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 14 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 7,663 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 28.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 49 in 2002. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 928 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.
Kaija’s family of names
In Finnish usage, Kaija shares a linguistic root with the Estonian form Kaia.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Kaija
- Kaija SaariahoFinnish composer (1952–2023)
- Kaija MustonenFinnish speed skaterborn 1941
- Kaija KärkinenFinnish singer, lyricist and actressborn 1962
- Kaija KooFinnish singerborn 1962
- Kaija SirenFinnish architect (1920–2001)
- Kaija VahtraEstonian cross-country skier and sports pedagogue (born 1986)
- Kaija AarikkaFinnish designer, entrepreneur1929–2014
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kaija, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Laryn
“crowned with laurel; from the laurel tree”
>99% girls
Aylena
“from the oak tree”
>99% girls
Araxi
“from the river of inspiration”
>99% girls
Butterfly
Butterfly is used as a given name and a surname. One American interpretation is “resembling a beautiful and colorful winged insect.”
>99% girls
Yasmeen
“resembling the jasmine flower”
>99% girls
Dayana
“resembling a bird of prey”
>99% girls
Fushia
“resembling the flower”
>99% girls
Brinli
“from the burnt meadow”
>99% girls