Cailean: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Cailean – 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

Phonetic: KAY-lin   IPA: /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

Similar Names

Muireann · Tristan · Lachlann · Domhnall Mòr · Fionnlagh · Brodie

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