What Does the Name Cassidy Mean?

Cassidy is a unisex name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “descendant of Caiside (curly-haired).”

Updated June 2026

Name	Cassidy
Gender	unisex
Origin	Irish (Gaelic)
Meaning	descendant of Caiside (curly-haired)
Variants	Cassidey, Kassidy, Cassady, Cassie
Popularity	Most popular in the United States, where it surged for girls in the 1980s-1990s; predominantly feminine but genuinely used for both.

The meaning and origin of Cassidy

The name Cassidy means “descendant of Caiside (curly-haired)” and has Irish (Gaelic) origins. An Anglicized form of the Irish surname O Caiside, from a byname related to 'cas' meaning 'curly' or 'clever,' hence 'descendant of Caiside.' It became a popular given name in the late 20th century.

Variants and related names

Cassidy is related to several other names you may recognize: Cassidey, Kassidy, Cassady, Cassie. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Cassidy?

Most popular in the United States, where it surged for girls in the 1980s-1990s; predominantly feminine but genuinely used for both.

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