Back when I published the first version of this post — using the SSA’s 2012 baby name data — the name Kaylee was the 34th most popular name for U.S. baby girls.
(It’s highest-ever usage had been a few years earlier, in 2009.)
But, while “Kaylee” was the most popular (and perhaps most intuitive?) spelling of the name, it certainly wasn’t the only spelling being used. Other popular variants included…
- Kaylee, 34th (given to 5,625 baby girls)
- Kayleigh, 265th (1,227)
- Kailey, 415th (757)
- Kaylie, 429th (730)
- Kailee, 737th (377)
- Kaleigh, 797th (336)
- Kaley, 1,049th (240)
- Kayley, 1,133rd (217)
- Kayli, 1,500th (149)
- Kaily, 1,865th (108)
And, of course, there were dozens more. Some examples: Kaylei, Kaileigh, Kaili, Kaylea, Kaeli, Kailea, Kaely, Kaeleigh, Kayleigh, Kailie, Kaelee, Kayelee, Kaelie, Kaileah, Kailei, Kayly, Kaeley, Kayliee, and Kayeleigh. (Not to mention all the spellings that start with “C”!)
Which spelling of Kaylee do you prefer? Why?
P.S. A decade later, the entire name-group is not as trendy as it once was. The most popular spelling is still Kaylee, though it now ranks 139th. Kayleigh and Kailey are still in the top 1,000, but Kaylie, Kailee, and Kaleigh have since dropped out.
[Latest update: Jan. 2023]