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The short answer
Kaylee is a feminine modern English name formed as a "combination of the popular phonetic elements kay and lee", according to Behind the Name. In various spellings it rose steadily from the 1980s; this spelling peaked in America in 2009 at #26 and has since declined. It is pronounced KAY-lee. In the United States it ranked #255 for girls in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name describes Kaylee as a "combination of the popular phonetic elements kay and lee", noting the name "in various spellings, steadily rose in popularity starting in the 1980s" and that "this particular spelling peaked in America in 2009, ranked 26th, and has since declined".
Editorial confidence: established
Linguistic roots
| Language | Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | kay | phonetic element |
| English | lee | phonetic element |
Popularity
Kaylee ranked #255 for girls in the United States in 2025 (Social Security Administration), down from a 2009 peak of #26 noted by Behind the Name.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #255 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: None documented.
Variants: Caleigh, Caylee, Kailee, Kailey, Kaleigh, Kaley, Kali, Kalie, Kayleigh, Kayley, Kaylie
Related names: Kay, Lee
What the name feels like
Kaylee has a bright, breezy, distinctly late-20th-century American sound, built from two simple, familiar syllables rather than an inherited name. Its many spelling variants reflect how phonetic-blend names tend to fragment across records.
Style tags: modern, phonetic blend, two syllables
Editorial interpretation: These style impressions are editorial judgment, not linguistic fact.
If you like this name
Names that share Kaylee's sound or its family of spelling variants.
Similar by sound
- Kayleigh
- Kaylie
- Kaley
Similar by popularity
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kaylee mean?
Behind the Name describes Kaylee as a combination of the popular phonetic elements kay and lee, rather than a name with an older, glossed meaning.
Is Kaylee a popular name?
Kaylee ranked #255 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data, down from a 2009 peak of #26 noted by Behind the Name.
How many ways can Kaylee be spelled?
Behind the Name lists many variant spellings, including Kaylie, Kayleigh, Kayley, Kaleigh, Kaley, Kailey and Caylee.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Kaylee — supports etymology, pronunciation, variants, history.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
