What Does the Name Casey Mean?
Casey is a unisex name of Irish origin meaning “vigilant, watchful.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Casey |
|---|---|
| Gender | unisex |
| Origin | Irish |
| Meaning | vigilant, watchful |
| Variants | Kasey, Cacey, Casie |
| Popularity | Peaked in US popularity in the 1980s for both sexes; remains a familiar unisex choice. |
The meaning and origin of Casey
The name Casey means “vigilant, watchful” and has Irish origins. An Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Cathasaigh, from a Gaelic byname meaning 'vigilant' or 'watchful.' It became a popular given name in the US in the 20th century for both boys and girls.
Variants and related names
Casey is related to several other names you may recognize: Kasey, Cacey, Casie. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Casey?
Peaked in US popularity in the 1980s for both sexes; remains a familiar unisex choice.
Popularity matters when you need believable test data: a name that fits the era or region you are modeling makes a generated profile look real. You can generate a complete fictional profile using the name Casey below.
Generate a fake Casey profile
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Casey mean?+
The name Casey means “vigilant, watchful” and is of Irish origin.
What is the origin of the name Casey?+
Casey originates from Irish.
Is Casey a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Casey has trended in the US over time.
Casey by gender
More unisex names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press