Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Kayley isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1977. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kayley through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 8,586
- 0 boys · 8,586 girls
- Most popular year
- 1999
- 461 babies
- 2025
- 45
- #3,429 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −39%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 45 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 3,429 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 39.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 461 in 1999. In 2025, California and New York shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (7 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 7,696 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.
Kayley’s family of names
In English usage, Kayley has a related form in Kaylee. Kayley has a related form in Kaila. Kayley has an alternative spelling in Kaley.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 4
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Kayley, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Cailin
“a young woman; a lass”
>99% girls
McKayla
“a fiery woman”
>99% girls
Dacey
“woman.from the South” · “a man from the south”
>99% girls
Cassidy
“curly-haired girl” · “a clever man”
7% boys · 93% girls
Shanley
“small and ancient woman” · “an ancient hero”
>99% girls
Maclaine
“the son of John's servant”
>99% girls
Mccartney
“son of Artan”
23% boys · 77% girls
Kiana
“from an ancient family” · “of an ancient family”
>99% girls