At a Glance
- Meaning
- Pup, cub, or young dog
- Origin
- Scottish Gaelic (from Old Irish cuilén)
- Gender
- Boy
- Pronunciation
- KAY-lin
Cailean is a Scottish Gaelic (from Old Irish cuilén) boy's name meaning “pup, cub, or young dog”. It appears in 2 of our baby name lists.
Meaning & Origin of Cailean
Meaning: Pup, cub, or young dog.
Origin: Scottish Gaelic (from Old Irish cuilén).
A common claim: Said to mean 'young dog, whelp,' as a form of Colin. Actually: The direction is often stated backwards — Cailean is the original Scottish Gaelic name (from Old Irish cuilén, 'pup'), and Colin is the Anglicized form of it, not the other way around.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Cailean
KAY-linIPA /ˈkeɪlɪn/
Popularity of Cailean
Cailean doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.
Lists That Include Cailean
- 150+ Scottish Baby Boy Names With Rugged Celtic Character
- 200+ Celtic Baby Boy Names With a Mystical Edge
Similar Names
Muireann · Forbes · Ewan · Tristan · Lachlann · Domhnall Mòr
