Caleigh

Caleigh is either a variant of Kaylee or Callie, depending on how you pronounce it (KAY-lee vs. KAL-lee). In both cases, these names are modern American inventions which may have been inspired by other names. For instance, Kaylee follows the popular “Kay” trend along with other female names like Kayla, Kayden, Kaydence, Kaylyn, etc. Most likely, the name Kaylee is merely a result of the combination of appealing sounds put together: Kay + Lee. Therefore, this name has no true etymological history. Some say the name may have been inspired by the Irish female name Caoilainn (pronounced KAY-lin) which means “slender and fair” from the Gaelic elements “caol” and “fionn”. The other possibility is that Caleigh was influenced by Callie, largely considered a diminutive or pet form of Calista (from the Greek “kallista” meaning “fairest, most beautiful”). In Greek mythology, Callisto was a beautiful nymph who attracted the eye of Zeus and the wrath of his wife Hera (see the names Callie or Calista for more information). Caleigh is pretty much in a category all by herself, though. To say she’s related to the Irish Caoilainn or the Greek Kallista is a stratch of the imagination. Caleigh is really nothing more than a modern American name invention – a cutesy respelling with a questionable pronunciation.