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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kaley

Kaley

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAY-lee /ˈkeɪ.li/Medium

Meaning: ClearingMedium

In 30 seconds: Kaley is an English girl's name meaning 'clearing.' It has a light, bright sound and many cousin spellings.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningClearing
U.S. rank (2025)#3866 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births38 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2003
Total births (all-time)≈ 13,680

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200319672025

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

Kaley comes from English with the meaning 'clearing,' suggesting an open, sunlit patch of land. It belongs to a large family of similar-sounding names that differ mainly in spelling. Forms like Kaleigh, Caleigh, and Kailey show just how many ways the sound gets written.

Actress Kaley Cuoco is the name's most recognizable bearer. The breezy two-syllable sound and the many spellings have made it a flexible choice for parents wanting something familiar yet personalized.

Did you know? Kaley is a spelling variant of Kaylee, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'clearing' while changing the visual style.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Kaley — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

CaleighCayleeKaileeKaileyKaleigh

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Kaley Cuoco (1985–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Kaley…

Kaleigh— A spelling variant of Kaley with the same 'clearing' sense.
Caleigh— An alternate spelling of the same name.
Kailey— A respelling sharing Kaley's sound and meaning.
Kailee— A variant ending on the same Kaley sound.
Caylee— A cousin spelling in the same name family.

Explore names like Kaley

By thememodernenglishmodern-ending

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kaley mean?

Kaley is usually explained as meaning 'clearing' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Kaley?

It's commonly said KAY-lee /ˈkeɪ.li/.

Is Kaley a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Kaley is used as a girl name.

How popular is Kaley?

In 2024, Kaley ranked #2724 in the U.S. for girls, with 63 births recorded.

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