Cael
Boy · KAYL · Irish
Cael is a boys' name of Irish origin, meaning “slender”. In 2025 it ranked 3,021st for boys in the UK (7 babies) and 1,942nd for boys in the US (79 babies).
What does Cael mean?
Irish: from caol
“slender”
In Irish legend Cael is a warrior of Fionn mac Cumhaill's band, the Fianna.
- Say it
- KAYL
More on Wiktionary.
Is Cael a girl's or a boy's name?
Cael is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 7 boys in the UK and 79 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.
How popular is Cael in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #3,021among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 7about 1 in 43,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Rising fastup 100% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 7 boys in the UK were named Cael, making it the 3,021st most popular name for boys. Its busiest year was 2011, with 17 boys.
It has been given to more boys each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had more boys named Cael than any year since 2015.
Half of all the boys named Cael in the UK since 1996 were born between 2005 and 2013, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 19 boys in the UK were given Cael or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #1,288, up from #3,021 for this spelling alone.
- Kael 12
- Cael 7
Among boys in 2025, it was 4,212th in England and Wales and 395th in Northern Ireland.
Cael in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | #3,021 |
| 2024 | 4 | #4,346 |
| 2023 | 1 | #6,556 |
| 2022 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 1 | #6,364 |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 6 | #3,162 |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 6 | #3,241 |
| 2015 | 13 | #1,888 |
| 2014 | 16 | #1,573 |
| 2013 | 17 | #1,493 |
| 2012 | 12 | #1,956 |
| 2011 | 17 | #1,489 |
| 2010 | 10 | #2,141 |
| 2009 | 5 | #3,395 |
| 2008 | 8 | #2,384 |
| 2007 | 16 | #1,458 |
| 2006 | 14 | #1,487 |
| 2005 | 11 | #1,701 |
| 2004 | 9 | #1,831 |
| 2003 | 9 | #1,723 |
| 2002 | 11 | #1,384 |
| 2001 | 11 | #1,369 |
| 2000 | 5 | #2,237 |
| 1999 | 3 | #3,043 |
| 1998 | 0 | – |
| 1997 | 4 | #2,438 |
| 1996 | 2 | #3,734 |
How popular is Cael in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #1,942among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 79about 1 in 22,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadymuch the same
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 79 boys in the US were named Cael, making it the 1,942nd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,504th. Its busiest year was 2011, with 272 boys. It first appears in the records in 1989.
It has been given to more boys each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had more boys named Cael than any year since 2016.
Half of all the boys named Cael in the US since 1880 were born between 2005 and 2013, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 422 boys in the US were given Cael or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #625, up from #1,942 for this spelling alone.
Cael in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 79 | #1,942 |
| 2024 | 60 | #2,345 |
| 2023 | 42 | #2,951 |
| 2022 | 38 | #3,149 |
| 2021 | 44 | #2,818 |
| 2020 | 51 | #2,504 |
| 2019 | 57 | #2,363 |
| 2018 | 73 | #1,993 |
| 2017 | 69 | #2,032 |
| 2016 | 92 | #1,694 |
| 2015 | 145 | #1,247 |
| 2014 | 173 | #1,102 |
| 2013 | 182 | #1,052 |
| 2012 | 212 | #949 |
| 2011 | 272 | #805 |
| 2010 | 252 | #840 |
| 2009 | 270 | #816 |
| 2008 | 263 | #832 |
| 2007 | 214 | #925 |
| 2006 | 206 | #919 |
| 2005 | 215 | #854 |
| 2004 | 175 | #956 |
| 2003 | 176 | #932 |
| 2002 | 222 | #776 |
| 2001 | 55 | #1,956 |
| 2000 | 32 | #2,800 |
| 1999 | 22 | #3,475 |
| 1998 | 11 | #5,460 |
| 1997 | 5 | #9,259 |
| 1996 | 6 | #7,964 |
| 1995 | 0 | – |
| 1994 | 0 | – |
| 1993 | 6 | #7,631 |
| 1992 | 0 | – |
| 1991 | 0 | – |
| 1990 | 5 | #8,108 |
| 1989 | 8 | #5,608 |
Names like Cael
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Finn Aiden Kian Ronan Declan Rowan Kayden Connor Conall Brody Flynn Callan
Other spellings of Cael
Names related to Cael
More Irish names
Oscar Rory Maeve Ryan Nolan Quinn Orla Cody Erin Casey Kennedy Lennon Cillian Kevin Sloane Aidan