UK girl's name
Kayleigh
A feminine name of Irish origin, representing a meadow and a place name.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kayleigh is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kayleigh popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1541, with 20 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 1,206 births.
This profile covers 10,677 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 2% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 14,849 living people in the UK are called Kayleigh. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kayleigh ranked #1541 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 20 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 1,206 girls were registered as Kayleigh.
- • Kayleigh ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.
- • About 14,849 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kayleigh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1541
2024
Births in 2024
20
Latest year
Peak year
1996
1,206 births
Estimated living
14,849
2026
Meaning
What does Kayleigh mean?
The name Kayleigh originates from the English language and is a variant of the name Kaylee, which has its roots in the Old English word "cælic" meaning "chalice" or "cup." This suggests that the name may have been used in reference to someone's occupation or role related to serving drinks or vessels.
The earliest recorded use of the name Kayleigh dates back to the late 20th century, with the spelling gaining popularity in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries. It is believed to have emerged as a modern variation of the traditional name Kaylee, possibly influenced by the trend of creating unique and personalized name variations.
While the name Kayleigh does not have a long historical record or appear in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been embraced by several notable individuals throughout the years. One of the earliest notable bearers of the name was Kayleigh McEnany, born in 1988, who served as the White House Press Secretary under President Donald Trump from 2020 to 2021.
Another individual with the name Kayleigh is Kayleigh Haywood, a British teenager who tragically lost her life in 2015 at the age of 15. Her case brought attention to the issue of online grooming and sparked discussions around internet safety for minors.
In the world of sports, Kayleigh Nankivell, born in 1992, is a British artistic gymnast who has represented Great Britain in international competitions and won multiple medals at the Commonwealth Games.
In the entertainment industry, Kayleigh Pearson, born in 1988, is a British actress known for her roles in television series such as "Ackley Bridge" and "The Bay."
Kayleigh Bateman, born in 1989, is a British singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a contestant on the reality television show "The X Factor" in 2007.
While these are just a few examples, the name Kayleigh has gained popularity in recent decades, particularly in English-speaking countries, and continues to be embraced by individuals from various backgrounds and walks of life.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kayleigh over time
The chart below shows babies named Kayleigh registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kayleigh, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 20 births in 2024, compared with 1,206 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kayleigh by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kayleigh 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 | #1503 | 103 | 5 |
| 2010s | #596 | 1,033 | 10 |
| 2000s | #103 | 5,477 | 10 |
| 1990s | #57 | 4,064 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kayleigh is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kayleigh. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Kayleigh ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #288 in 2024.
Across the UK
Kayleigh in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#790 in 2024
40 years of NRS records, 3,932 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#288 in 2024
28 years of NISRA records, 347 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kayleigh
-
Kayleigh Stead
association football player
English footballer
2004-
-
Kayleigh Haggo
athletics competitor
Scottish boccia player and para athlete
1999-
-
Kayleigh McDonald
association football player
English footballer
1994-
-
Kayleigh Weeks
association football player
1992-
-
Kayleigh Brogan
sport cyclist
British bicycle racer
1992-
-
Kayleigh Hines
association football player
English association football player
1991-
-
Kayleigh Barton
association football player
Welsh association football player (born 1988)
1988-
-
Kayleigh Pearson
singer; model
British model
1985-
Related
Names similar to Kayleigh
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
- Katy 5,121
FAQ
Kayleigh: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kayleigh in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kayleigh was ranked #1541 for girls in England and Wales, with 20 births registered.
When was Kayleigh most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 1,206 babies registered as Kayleigh in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kayleigh?
A feminine name of Irish origin, representing a meadow and a place name.
How many people are called Kayleigh in the UK?
A total of 10,677 babies have been registered as Kayleigh across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3,932 more in Scotland and 347 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Kayleigh most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kayleigh ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #288 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.