Total births
3,732
Boys' name · since 1989
Cael
Cael has 3,732 recorded births since 1989 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2011 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2359
- among boys today
- 3,732
- born since 1989
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Cael is the #2359 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,732 recorded since 1989.
Cael has 3,732 recorded births among boys since 1989, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #2359 as of the latest data, more common than 83% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1989 to 2025.
- #2359 among boys today
- 3,732 born since 1989
- 2000s peak decade
- 83% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Cael is currently the #2359 boys' name in America, more common than 83% of boys - 3,732 born since 1989, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2359
- among boys today
- 3,732
- born since 1989
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other boys
Cael vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2359
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 83% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
49% of everyone ever named Cael was born in this single decade.
2011
Single peak year
272 babies were named Cael in 2011 - its busiest year on record.
How Cael compares
3,732 Top 15% higher than 85% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Cael's all-time total is 10x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Cael | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,732 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 272 | 23 | 22,252 |
Cael's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Cael's SSA record in two at 2009 and the more recent half accounts for 57% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 43%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1990, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2011 peak of 272, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Cael at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2011
Current rank
#2,359
Active since
1989
Cael popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1989–2025
- Peak year (2011)
- 272
- Annual births at peak, across 37 years of records
Cael popularity over time - girls
13 total births recorded since 2007 (Cael as girls' name)
Cael by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Cael's strongest decade.
1,828 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 49% of all-time use.
Cael births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 8
1980s
8 births
- 1990s 55
1990s
55 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,828 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,527 births
- 2020s 314
2020s
314 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,828 births (49% of all-time use).
How Cael compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Cael's total volume
Cael vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Cael by state
Where Cael concentrates geographically, total births since 1989
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Iowa | | 552 | 14.8% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 188 | 5.0% |
| #3 | Texas | | 176 | 4.7% |
| #4 | California | | 174 | 4.7% |
| #5 | Utah | | 133 | 3.6% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 110 | 2.9% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 109 | 2.9% |
| #8 | Minnesota | | 102 | 2.7% |
Iowa share of Cael's total US births 14.8%
Even split
552 of 3,732 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 29 reporting states.
Cael appears in 29 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cael? ▼
Since 1989, Social Security records show 3,732 babies named Cael. Today it holds rank #2359 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2011, with 272 births.
When was Cael most popular? ▼
Cael was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,828 total births. The single peak year was 2011.
Where is Cael most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cael are Iowa (552 births), Pennsylvania (188 births), Texas (176 births).
How long has the name Cael been used? ▼
Records for Cael go back to 1989, giving 37 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Cael? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Caesar, Caelan, Caeden, Caedmon, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Cael's data
- Cael's decade-level peak was the 2000s (1,828 total births); usage has since declined to 314 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Iowa records the most Caels (552 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Iowa names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cael
Nearby Names Like Cael
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cael
Caesar Boy
#2838 5,445 births
Caelan Boy
#3373 2,470 births
Caeden Boy
#3494 2,181 births
Caedmon Boy
#8668 934 births
Caelum Boy
#2038 928 births
Compare Cael side by side: Cael vs Caesar Cael vs Caelan Cael vs Caeden
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Cael
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1989–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cael: #2359 Boys' Name - 3,732 Births, Peak 2011." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cael. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cael draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.