Pronunciation
Kay-lan / Kee-lan
These spellings are a guide to the sound. Irish pronunciation can vary by dialect.
Meaning
Little slender one
Related forms: Caolán (related irish form).
Alternate spellings
Caolán; Kealan; Keelan
Fun fact
Caelan is an Anglicised spelling of Caolán. Caol means slender, and án is the little ending you see in so many Irish names. It's traditionally a boy's name, but Caelan is also used for girls.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Caelan, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 116 | #43 |
| 2024 | 128 | #43 |
| 2023 | 114 | #50 |
| 2022 | 56 | #108 |
| 2021 | 61 | #104 |
| 2020 | 27 | #183 |
| 2019 | 18 | #257 |
| 2018 | 17 | #269 |
| 2017 | 18 | #263 |
| 2016 | 11 | #353 |
| 2015 | 21 | #245 |
| 2014 | 17 | #280 |
| 2013 | 20 | #257 |
| 2012 | 13 | #324 |
| 2011 | 19 | #263 |
| 2010 | 18 | #269 |
| 2009 | 17 | #271 |
| 2008 | 9 | #386 |
| 2007 | 9 | #342 |
| 2006 | 10 | #295 |
| 2005 | 8 | #302 |
| 2004 | 4 | #439 |
| 2003 | 9 | #275 |
| 2002 | 8 | #267 |
| 2001 | 10 | #226 |
| 2000 | 7 | #250 |
| 1999 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1998 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1997 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1996 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1995 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1994 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1993 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1992 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1991 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1990 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1989 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1988 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1987 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1986 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1985 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1984 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1983 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1982 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1981 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1980 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1979 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1978 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1977 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1976 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1973 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1972 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1971 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.
