UK boy's name
Cailo
A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Spanish.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Cailo is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Cailo popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2022 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Cailo. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Cailo ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 4 boys were registered as Cailo.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cailo as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2022
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Cailo mean?
The name Cailo is believed to have originated from the ancient Celtic language, spoken by various tribes and communities across Western and Central Europe during the Iron Age and the medieval period. Its roots can be traced back to the Proto-Celtic word "cail," which meant "slender" or "lean."
One of the earliest known references to the name Cailo can be found in the ancient Irish epic, the Táin Bó Cúailnge, which dates back to the 8th or 9th century AD. In this epic, Cailo is mentioned as a prominent warrior and chieftain of the Ulaid people, a powerful Celtic tribe based in modern-day Northern Ireland.
During the Middle Ages, the name Cailo gained popularity among the Celtic populations of the British Isles, particularly in Ireland and Scotland. In the 12th century, a Scottish nobleman named Cailo MacAulay was recorded as a prominent figure in the court of King David I of Scotland.
In the 15th century, a renowned Irish poet and bard named Cailo Óg Ó Duibhgeannáin gained fame for his intricate and lyrical compositions, which were widely celebrated among the Gaelic nobility of the time.
Another notable figure bearing the name Cailo was Cailo Ó Maolchonaire, an Irish chieftain and warrior who lived in the 16th century. He was renowned for his military prowess and his role in the legendary Siege of Dunluce Castle during the Nine Years' War in Ireland.
As the centuries passed, the name Cailo continued to be used sporadically across various Celtic regions, although its popularity waned in comparison to other more common Irish and Scottish names. Nevertheless, it has maintained a presence in certain areas, particularly in parts of Ireland and Scotland, where it is still occasionally bestowed upon newborns as a nod to their ancestral heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Cailo over time
The chart below shows babies named Cailo registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2022 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Cailo, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cailo by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cailo was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4496 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Cailo
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Cailo: questions and answers
How popular is the name Cailo in the UK right now?
In 2023, Cailo was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Cailo most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 4 babies registered as Cailo in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Cailo?
A masculine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Spanish.
How many people are called Cailo in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Cailo across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.