Total births
1,948
Unisex name · since 1980
Kalei
Since 1980, U.S. Social Security records show 1,948 babies named Kalei, peaking in 2003. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5209
- among girls today
- 1,948
- born since 1980
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other girls
1,948 babies have been named Kalei since 1980, making it today's #5209 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Kalei recorded 1,948 times among girls since 1980, holding rank #5209 nationally today, ahead of 71% of girls, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1980 to 2025.
- #5209 among girls today
- 1,948 born since 1980
- 2000s peak decade
- 71% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kalei is currently the #5209 unisex name in America, more common than 71% of girls - 1,948 born since 1980, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5209
- among girls today
- 1,948
- born since 1980
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other girls
Kalei vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#5209
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 71% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
47% of everyone ever named Kalei was born in this single decade.
2003
Single peak year
142 babies were named Kalei in 2003 - its busiest year on record.
How Kalei compares
1,948 Top 22% higher than 78% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Kalei's all-time total is 5x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kalei | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,948 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 142 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kalei's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kalei splits its recorded history at 2004: 52% of all births land in the more recent half, 48% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1981 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2003 peak of 142 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kalei at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2003
Current rank
#5,209
Active since
1980
Kalei popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1980–2025
- Peak year (2003)
- 142
- Annual births at peak, across 46 years of records
Kalei popularity over time - boys
276 total births recorded since 1973 (Kalei as boys' name)
Kalei by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Kalei's strongest decade.
907 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 47% of all-time use.
Kalei births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 81
1980s
81 births
- 1990s
1990s
433 births
- 2000s
2000s
907 births
- 2010s 354
2010s
354 births
- 2020s 173
2020s
173 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 907 births (47% of all-time use).
How Kalei compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Kalei's total volume
Kalei vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kalei by state
Where Kalei concentrates geographically, total births since 1980
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 222 | 11.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 113 | 5.8% |
| #3 | Florida | | 46 | 2.4% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 36 | 1.8% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 33 | 1.7% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 19 | 1.0% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 18 | 0.9% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 17 | 0.9% |
California share of Kalei's total US births 11.4%
Even split
222 of 1,948 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Kalei appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kalei? ▼
Since 1980, Social Security records show 1,948 babies named Kalei. Today it holds rank #5209 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2003, with 142 births.
When was Kalei most popular? ▼
Kalei was most popular in the 2000s decade with 907 total births. The single peak year was 2003.
Where is Kalei most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kalei are California (222 births), Texas (113 births), Florida (46 births).
Is Kalei a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kalei is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 1,948 births, and as a boy's name it has 276 births.
How long has the name Kalei been used? ▼
Records for Kalei go back to 1980, giving 46 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kalei? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kali, Kaleigh, Kaley, Kaliyah, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kalei's data
- Kalei's decade-level peak was the 2000s (907 total births); usage has since declined to 173 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kaleis (222 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Kalei
Nearby Names Like Kalei
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kalei
Kali Girl
#295 32,527 births
Kaleigh Girl
#2761 16,244 births
Kaley Girl
#2705 13,682 births
Kaliyah Girl
#442 12,946 births
Kallie Girl
#846 12,683 births
Compare Kalei side by side: Kalei vs Kali Kalei vs Kaleigh Kalei vs Kaley
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kalei
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, 1980–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kalei: #5209 Unisex Name - 1,948 Births, Peak 2003." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kalei. 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 Kalei 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.