Kaye Girl

Popularity: #930 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAY //keɪ//

Origin: English; Irish

Meaning: English: Rejoice; Irish: Pure

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Kaye has its roots in the Old French name "Kai," which itself is derived from the Latin name "Gaius." The Latin "Gaius" is believed to stem from the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰei-, meaning "to rejoice" or "to be glad." The name made its way into English through the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, where it was adopted and adapted into various forms, including Kaye. The name has also been linked to the Welsh name "Cai," which is associated with the legendary figure Sir Kay, a knight of King Arthur's Round Table, further enriching its historical significance in British culture.

Throughout history, Kaye has been associated with various notable figures. In the medieval period, the name was sometimes used as a surname, and it appears in literature and historical texts.

The name's connection to Sir Kay, a character in Arthurian legend, emphasizes its ties to chivalry and nobility. The Arthurian legends, which were popularized in the 12th century, contributed to the name's cultural resonance, as they were foundational to English literature and identity.

In addition to its literary connections, Kaye has been used in various cultural contexts, often symbolizing strength and loyalty, traits associated with the legendary knights of the Round Table. The name has also been employed in various diminutive forms, such as Kay, which has been used independently as a name in its own right.

The enduring nature of Kaye reflects its deep roots in history and culture, making it a name with significant historical and literary associations.

Famous people named Kaye

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

We also feature individuals named Kaye 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.

Kaye Ballard was an actress and singer best known for The Mothers-In-Law, The Golden Girls, and her Broadway performances.

Kaye Adams is a television presenter and journalist best known for Loose Women, This Morning, and her work on radio.

Kaye L. Scholer was a prominent law firm known for its work in corporate law and litigation.

Fictional characters named Kaye

The following list of fictional characters named Kaye 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.

Kaye is a fictional character from the novel The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. She is a fierce and loyal companion to the protagonist, helping to navigate the challenges they face on their quest.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Kaye, 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 Kaye. 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 Kaye was first seen in the United States in 1901.

Kaye has ranked as high as #628 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in Michigan, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Kaye 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 Kaye 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 Kaye.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 18 0 18
2024 11 0 11
2023 7 0 7
2022 15 0 15
2021 13 0 13
2020 10 0 10
2019 13 0 13
2018 10 0 10
2017 8 0 8
2016 8 0 8
2015 16 0 16
2014 10 0 10
2013 10 0 10
2012 10 0 10
2011 5 0 5
2010 11 0 11
2009 7 0 7
2008 14 0 14
2007 9 0 9
2006 13 0 13
2005 14 0 14
2004 16 0 16
2003 14 0 14
2002 16 0 16
2001 13 0 13
2000 22 0 22
1999 14 0 14
1998 14 0 14
1997 26 0 26
1996 16 0 16
1995 17 0 17
1994 19 0 19
1993 30 0 30
1992 18 0 18
1991 25 0 25
1990 30 0 30
1989 30 0 30
1988 43 0 43
1987 29 0 29
1986 31 0 31
1985 29 0 29
1984 27 0 27
1983 42 0 42
1982 45 0 45
1981 46 0 46
1980 52 0 52
1979 33 0 33
1978 40 0 40
1977 32 0 32
1976 38 0 38
1975 39 0 39
1974 38 0 38
1973 51 0 51
1972 59 0 59
1971 75 0 75
1970 90 0 90
1969 130 0 130
1968 119 0 119
1967 135 0 135
1966 118 0 118
1965 170 0 170
1964 217 0 217
1963 235 0 235
1962 278 0 278
1961 315 0 315
1960 291 0 291
1959 262 0 262
1958 332 0 332
1957 347 5 342
1956 350 0 350
1955 347 0 347
1954 393 5 388
1953 369 8 361
1952 374 0 374
1951 426 9 417
1950 370 6 364
1949 387 0 387
1948 433 5 428
1947 547 9 538
1946 490 11 479
1945 455 12 443
1944 453 10 443
1943 485 10 475
1942 397 0 397
1941 397 8 389
1940 370 15 355
1939 340 17 323
1938 283 16 267
1937 256 15 241
1936 217 28 189
1935 152 33 119
1934 142 43 99
1933 102 36 66
1932 118 63 55
1931 97 48 49
1930 63 29 34
1929 28 13 15
1928 33 8 25
1927 37 12 25
1926 46 6 40
1925 40 5 35
1924 28 0 28
1923 36 0 36
1922 41 11 30
1921 34 0 34
1920 32 7 25
1919 34 0 34
1918 22 0 22
1917 18 0 18
1916 27 0 27
1915 16 0 16
1914 15 0 15
1913 17 0 17
1912 20 0 20
1911 6 0 6
1910 6 0 6
1909 6 0 6
1903 6 0 6
1901 6 0 6

Top States for Kaye (2002)

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
CA 5
100%