Karey

♂ Boy

Pronounced KAIR-ee /ˈkɛri/Medium

Meaning: Karey is a K-spelling of Carey or Cary, an anglicized Irish surname from O Ciardha, based on ciar, dark. It is also linked to English place names.Low

In 30 seconds: Karey is a respelling of Carey or Cary, from an Irish surname meaning dark. It stayed a rare last-century name (said KAIR-ee).

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumIrish, English

MeaningKarey is a K-spelling of Carey or Cary, an anglicized Irish surname from O Ciardha, based on ciar, dark. It is also linked to English place names.

U.S. rank (2009)#13491 ↘ Falling

2009 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1960

Total births (all-time)≈ 584

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Karey is a K-spelling of Carey or Cary, an anglicized Irish surname from O Ciardha, built on ciar, dark, and also tied to English place names. This spelling appears in United States records from around nineteen-thirty-seven, peaked around nineteen-sixty, and stayed a rarity of a couple dozen boys a year.

The Cary sound gained polish from the actor Cary Grant, and this K-spelling reads as a personal variant. A Karey of the nineteen-sixties would be in his sixties now, and the name has stayed rare in this form, used for both boys and girls elsewhere.

Did you know? The actor Cary Grant, born Archibald Leach, made the Cary sound famous and helped it travel as a first name.

Overall data confidence 45%

References - Karey — K-spelling of Carey/Cary; Irish O Ciardha; ciar dark

Variations

CareyCaryKary

Nicknames

Kay

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Karey…

Carey— the standard spelling of the name

Cary— a like short spelling

Corey— a rhyming surname-style boy's name

Casey— another Irish surname given name

Explore names like Karey

By themerare vintage respelling irish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Karey mean?

As a form of Carey it comes from the Irish surname O Ciardha, based on ciar, dark.

How do you pronounce Karey?

It is said KAIR-ee /ˈkɛri/, two syllables, like Carey.

Is Karey a boy or girl name?

This entry is the boy's use, though the Carey sound is unisex.

Is Karey a common name?

No. In this spelling it was always rare, given to just a couple dozen boys a year at its peak.