Casey
Casey is a boy's name of Irish origin.
Meaning
Watchful or vigilant.
Origin and history
Casey is derived from the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Cathasaigh, meaning watchful or vigilant. Originally used primarily as a surname, it gained strong popularity as a given name in the United States during the late 20th century. Today, it remains a well-established unisex classic with steady usage for boys.
Popularity in the United States
116,675 babies in the United States have been named Casey since 1880. It ranks #280 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #355.
States where it is most popular
- CA (11.2 %)
- TX (8.2 %)
- OH (4.2 %)
- NY (3.9 %)
- FL (3.8 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 6 |
| 1890-1900 | 37 |
| 1900-1910 | 89 |
| 1910-1920 | 444 |
| 1920-1930 | 347 |
| 1930-1940 | 277 |
| 1940-1950 | 571 |
| 1950-1960 | 2,656 |
| 1960-1970 | 4,723 |
| 1970-1980 | 18,987 |
| 1980-1990 | 35,968 |
| 1990-2000 | 29,253 |
| 2000-2010 | 12,261 |
| 2010-2019 | 5,582 |
| 2020-2029 | 5,474 |
Famous people named Casey
- Casey Affleck: actor
- Casey Kasem: radio host, voice actor
- Casey Mize: baseball player
Fun facts
- The name was famously popularized in American culture by the 1909 song about train engineer Casey Jones.
- It traces back to the Gaelic personal name Cathasach, which originally described a vigilant warrior.