Casey Unisex

Popularity: #304 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAY-see //ˈkeɪ.si//

Origin: Irish; English

Meaning: Irish: vigilant; English: brave in battle

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Casey has its roots in the Irish Gaelic name "O'Cathasaigh," which means "descendant of Cathasach," with "Cathasach" translating to "vigilant" or "watchful." The name evolved through various forms, including the anglicized version "Casey" that emerged in the 19th century as Irish surnames were adapted for English-speaking contexts. The transition into English can be traced through the migration of Irish families to English-speaking countries, particularly during the Great Famine in the mid-19th century, when many Irish surnames were transformed into given names to facilitate integration into new societies.

Historically, the name Casey has been associated with notable figures in Irish history, including various leaders and warriors. The O'Cathasaigh clan was prominent in the province of Munster, and the name has been borne by several saints and local heroes throughout Irish folklore.

The use of Casey as a given name gained traction in the 20th century, particularly in the United States, where it was embraced by Irish-American communities. The name's presence in literature and popular culture, including its use in sports and media, has further solidified its standing.

Culturally, Casey embodies themes of vigilance and watchfulness, resonating with the qualities of guardianship and protection. This connection to vigilance is reflected in various traditions and stories within Irish culture, where names often carry significant meanings and attributes.

The name also has diminutive forms, such as "Case," which have been used affectionately in familial and social contexts. Overall, Casey's historical and cultural significance is deeply intertwined with Irish heritage, making it a name rich in meaning and tradition.

Famous people named Casey

In this section, you will find notable people named Casey. 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 Casey who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Casey 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.

Casey Affleck is an actor and director best known for Manchester by the Sea, Good Will Hunting, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

Casey Kasem is a radio personality and voice actor best known for American Top 40, Scooby-Doo, and Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!

Casey Neistat is a filmmaker and YouTuber best known for his daily vlogs, the film Daddy Long Legs, and his work with HBO.

Casey Stengel is a baseball player and manager best known for his time with the New York Yankees, leading them to multiple championships, and for his unique quotes and sayings.

Fictional characters named Casey

The following list of fictional characters named Casey 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.

Casey Becker is a fictional character from the film Scream. She is the first victim of the Ghostface killer, setting the tone for the horror film series.

Casey Jones is a fictional character from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. He is a vigilante who fights alongside the turtles to protect New York City from various threats.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Casey, 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 Casey. 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 Casey was first seen in the United States in 1888.

Casey has ranked as high as #97 nationally, which occurred in 1987, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Casey has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Casey 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 Casey was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Casey.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,300 1,072 228
2024 1,336 1,099 237
2023 1,296 1,056 240
2022 1,293 1,007 286
2021 937 686 251
2020 787 554 233
2019 836 540 296
2018 763 470 293
2017 839 546 293
2016 843 514 329
2015 860 517 343
2014 876 523 353
2013 937 559 378
2012 913 558 355
2011 1,116 649 467
2010 1,190 706 484
2009 1,400 829 571
2008 1,655 976 679
2007 1,681 985 696
2006 1,840 1,070 770
2005 1,871 1,101 770
2004 2,088 1,271 817
2003 2,240 1,253 987
2002 2,430 1,399 1,031
2001 2,838 1,555 1,283
2000 3,339 1,822 1,517
1999 3,846 2,044 1,802
1998 4,078 1,975 2,103
1997 4,294 2,099 2,195
1996 5,015 2,464 2,551
1995 5,267 2,629 2,638
1994 5,737 3,046 2,691
1993 5,761 3,180 2,581
1992 6,582 3,575 3,007
1991 7,179 4,107 3,072
1990 7,395 4,134 3,261
1989 6,929 3,850 3,079
1988 7,189 4,039 3,150
1987 7,510 3,928 3,582
1986 7,185 3,762 3,423
1985 5,968 3,490 2,478
1984 6,093 3,511 2,582
1983 5,783 3,228 2,555
1982 5,904 3,427 2,477
1981 5,938 3,518 2,420
1980 5,387 3,215 2,172
1979 5,039 3,082 1,957
1978 4,535 3,003 1,532
1977 3,546 2,597 949
1976 2,937 2,126 811
1975 2,815 1,960 855
1974 2,551 1,728 823
1973 1,896 1,277 619
1972 1,732 1,190 542
1971 1,441 1,125 316
1970 1,141 899 242
1969 867 677 190
1968 696 551 145
1967 617 503 114
1966 660 563 97
1965 508 442 66
1964 461 394 67
1963 435 370 65
1962 595 516 79
1961 420 360 60
1960 423 347 76
1959 484 398 86
1958 437 374 63
1957 427 368 59
1956 414 352 62
1955 332 298 34
1954 270 236 34
1953 210 179 31
1952 208 180 28
1951 172 154 18
1950 133 117 16
1949 136 115 21
1948 97 88 9
1947 73 73 0
1946 56 56 0
1945 41 41 0
1944 54 47 7
1943 47 41 6
1942 61 56 5
1941 30 30 0
1940 24 24 0
1939 32 32 0
1938 21 21 0
1937 32 32 0
1936 35 35 0
1935 25 25 0
1934 22 22 0
1933 35 35 0
1932 31 31 0
1931 25 25 0
1930 19 19 0
1929 27 27 0
1928 24 24 0
1927 34 29 5
1926 35 35 0
1925 26 26 0
1924 45 45 0
1923 36 36 0
1922 42 42 0
1921 44 39 5
1920 44 44 0
1919 55 55 0
1918 63 63 0
1917 38 38 0
1916 46 46 0
1915 53 53 0
1914 48 48 0
1913 44 44 0
1912 45 45 0
1911 33 33 0
1910 19 19 0
1909 16 16 0
1908 11 11 0
1907 8 8 0
1906 12 12 0
1905 5 5 0
1904 7 7 0
1903 10 10 0
1901 7 7 0
1900 13 13 0
1898 6 6 0
1897 5 5 0
1895 5 5 0
1894 9 9 0
1892 7 7 0
1890 5 5 0
1888 6 6 0

Top States for Casey (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 139
11%
CA 124
10%
PA 69
6%
NY 63
5%
FL 61
5%
NJ 56
4%
IL 52
4%
OH 49
4%
WA 49
4%
MA 45
4%
VA 43
3%
TN 36
3%
MI 35
3%
NC 32
3%
OK 28
2%
AZ 26
2%
MO 25
2%
CT 24
2%
CO 23
2%
IN 23
2%
UT 21
2%
WI 21
2%
MN 19
2%
MD 19
2%
GA 17
1%
LA 15
1%
SC 14
1%
KY 13
1%
OR 11
1%
AL 11
1%
ID 10
1%
SD 10
1%
NE 8
1%
HI 7
1%
WV 7
1%
NM 7
1%
KS 6
0%
ND 6
0%
IA 6
0%
WY 6
0%
AR 5
0%
NV 5
0%
MS 5
0%