Carey Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAY-ree //ˈkɛəri//
Origin: Irish; English
Meaning: Irish: 'descendant of the warrior'; English: 'from the marshy place'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Carey has its roots in the Old Irish name "O'Ceara," which means "descendant of Ceara." The name Ceara itself is derived from the word "cear," meaning "dark" or "black," and it is often associated with the color of hair or complexion. The name evolved through various linguistic stages, passing from Old Irish to Anglo-Norman forms before being adopted into Middle English as Carey.
The transition into English was influenced by the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, which brought many Gaelic names into the English-speaking world through the integration of Norman and Irish cultures. Historically, the name Carey has been borne by notable figures, including several saints and historical leaders.
One prominent example is Saint Caire, a 6th-century Irish saint, who is sometimes associated with the name. The name also appears in various historical records throughout the Middle Ages, particularly in England and Ireland, where it was often linked to noble families and landowners.
The name's presence in literature and documents from the medieval period helped to solidify its use in English-speaking regions. Culturally, the name Carey has been associated with strength and resilience, reflecting the characteristics attributed to its Gaelic origins.
It has been used in various forms of art and literature, contributing to its enduring legacy. The name has also seen variations and diminutives, such as "Cary," which have been used in different contexts.
Overall, the name Carey carries a rich historical and cultural significance, rooted in its linguistic heritage and the notable figures who have borne it throughout the centuries.
Famous people named Carey
In this section, you will find notable people named Carey. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Carey who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Carey who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Carey Mulligan is an actress best known for An Education, Drive, and Promising Young Woman.
Carey Price is a professional ice hockey goaltender best known for playing with the Montreal Canadiens and winning the Hart Memorial Trophy.
Carey Hart is a professional motocross racer and motorcycle stunt rider best known for his appearances in the X Games and his marriage to Pink.
Fictional characters named Carey
The following list of fictional characters named Carey is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Carey is a fictional character from the film The Last House on the Left. She is one of the main characters who becomes a victim of a brutal crime, which sets off a chain of events for revenge.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Carey, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Carey. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Carey was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Carey has ranked as high as #702 nationally, which occurred in 1957, and has been most popular in Georgia, California, Louisiana, Alabama, and North Carolina.
In the past 5 years the name Carey has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Carey is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Carey was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Carey (2015)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Carey.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2019 | 18 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2016 | 24 |
| 2015 | 23 |
| 2014 | 21 |
| 2013 | 24 |
| 2012 | 28 |
| 2011 | 29 |
| 2010 | 26 |
| 2009 | 28 |
| 2008 | 27 |
| 2007 | 39 |
| 2006 | 32 |
| 2005 | 27 |
| 2004 | 33 |
| 2003 | 26 |
| 2002 | 49 |
| 2001 | 50 |
| 2000 | 40 |
| 1999 | 51 |
| 1998 | 45 |
| 1997 | 66 |
| 1996 | 73 |
| 1995 | 73 |
| 1994 | 81 |
| 1993 | 102 |
| 1992 | 124 |
| 1991 | 131 |
| 1990 | 141 |
| 1989 | 142 |
| 1988 | 167 |
| 1987 | 140 |
| 1986 | 158 |
| 1985 | 169 |
| 1984 | 156 |
| 1983 | 168 |
| 1982 | 171 |
| 1981 | 165 |
| 1980 | 168 |
| 1979 | 198 |
| 1978 | 224 |
| 1977 | 253 |
| 1976 | 256 |
| 1975 | 302 |
| 1974 | 298 |
| 1973 | 279 |
| 1972 | 282 |
| 1971 | 350 |
| 1970 | 324 |
| 1969 | 344 |
| 1968 | 337 |
| 1967 | 323 |
| 1966 | 308 |
| 1965 | 283 |
| 1964 | 332 |
| 1963 | 336 |
| 1962 | 325 |
| 1961 | 330 |
| 1960 | 370 |
| 1959 | 437 |
| 1958 | 399 |
| 1957 | 461 |
| 1956 | 366 |
| 1955 | 363 |
| 1954 | 403 |
| 1953 | 320 |
| 1952 | 338 |
| 1951 | 290 |
| 1950 | 272 |
| 1949 | 196 |
| 1948 | 232 |
| 1947 | 226 |
| 1946 | 173 |
| 1945 | 132 |
| 1944 | 138 |
| 1943 | 130 |
| 1942 | 132 |
| 1941 | 104 |
| 1940 | 96 |
| 1939 | 85 |
| 1938 | 102 |
| 1937 | 86 |
| 1936 | 81 |
| 1935 | 80 |
| 1934 | 93 |
| 1933 | 61 |
| 1932 | 76 |
| 1931 | 58 |
| 1930 | 65 |
| 1929 | 81 |
| 1928 | 60 |
| 1927 | 70 |
| 1926 | 79 |
| 1925 | 65 |
| 1924 | 66 |
| 1923 | 68 |
| 1922 | 85 |
| 1921 | 68 |
| 1920 | 63 |
| 1919 | 77 |
| 1918 | 58 |
| 1917 | 80 |
| 1916 | 64 |
| 1915 | 59 |
| 1914 | 68 |
| 1913 | 39 |
| 1912 | 36 |
| 1911 | 14 |
| 1910 | 25 |
| 1909 | 13 |
| 1908 | 17 |
| 1907 | 11 |
| 1906 | 15 |
| 1905 | 19 |
| 1904 | 17 |
| 1903 | 16 |
| 1902 | 12 |
| 1901 | 11 |
| 1900 | 26 |
| 1899 | 13 |
| 1898 | 22 |
| 1897 | 20 |
| 1896 | 15 |
| 1895 | 17 |
| 1894 | 12 |
| 1893 | 11 |
| 1892 | 19 |
| 1891 | 11 |
| 1890 | 11 |
| 1889 | 15 |
| 1888 | 13 |
| 1887 | 16 |
| 1886 | 5 |
| 1885 | 13 |
| 1884 | 24 |
| 1883 | 19 |
| 1882 | 18 |
| 1881 | 8 |
| 1880 | 13 |