What Does the Name Carey Mean?

Carey is a unisex name of Irish (Gaelic); also Welsh / English origin meaning “descendant of Ciardha (dark one); near a castle.”

Updated June 2026

Name	Carey
Gender	unisex
Origin	Irish (Gaelic); also Welsh / English
Meaning	descendant of Ciardha (dark one); near a castle
Variants	Cary, Carrie, Karey, Carie
Popularity	A mid-20th-century unisex name in English-speaking countries, used for both men and women; now uncommon and somewhat dated.

The meaning and origin of Carey

The name Carey means “descendant of Ciardha (dark one); near a castle” and has Irish (Gaelic); also Welsh / English origins. An Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Ciardha, from 'ciar' meaning 'dark,' so 'descendant of the dark one.' It also occurs as a Welsh and English place name (Carew/Carey) meaning 'near a castle' or from the River Carey.

Variants and related names

Carey is related to several other names you may recognize: Cary, Carrie, Karey, Carie. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Carey?

A mid-20th-century unisex name in English-speaking countries, used for both men and women; now uncommon and somewhat dated.

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