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Home › Baby Names Directory › Cailin

Cailin

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Cailin

Pronounced KAY-lin /ˈkeɪ.lɪn/High

Meaning: From Irish/Gaelic cailin, 'a girl; a young woman; a lass'; also read as a spelling of Kaylin; routes layeredLow

In 30 seconds: A girl; a young woman: Cailin is Irish. Crisp, modern, and warm.
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Origin LowIrish
MeaningFrom Irish/Gaelic cailin, 'a girl; a young woman; a lass'; also read as a spelling of Kaylin; routes layered
U.S. rank (2025)#12153 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2003
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,706
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Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200319682025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cailin comes from Irish/Gaelic cailin, 'a girl; a young woman; a lass' (the source of 'colleen'); it is also read as a spelling of Kaylin (routes layered, which we note). A crisp, modern name (said 'KAY-lin').

In the U.S. it appears as a spelling. Rare, a-girl-and-a-young-woman at the root, and modern.

Did you know? Cailin means 'a girl; a young woman; a lass' in Irish (the source of the term 'colleen') — Cailin is also read as a spelling of Kaylin — crisp and modern (the routes are layered, which we note; said 'KAY-lin').
Overall data confidence 40%
References — Cailin — routes layered

Variations

CaitlinKaylinColleen

Nicknames

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If you like Cailin…

Kaylin— a name it overlaps
Caitlin— a fellow Irish C- girls' name
Colleen— the 'girl' word it shares
Kaylee— a sound-neighbor Kay- girls' name

Explore names like Cailin

By themeuncertainirish
By meaningYouth

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cailin mean?

Cailin is Irish for 'a girl; a young woman'; also read as a spelling of Kaylin; the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Cailin?

It's said KAY-lin /ˈkeɪ.lɪn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cailin a boy or girl name?

Cailin is a girl's name.

How popular is Cailin?

Cailin is a rare name in the U.S.

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