Carleigh is a modern spelling of Carly, the feminine short form of Carl or Charles, and so it carries the Germanic meaning "free man" or "free woman"; the -leigh ending borrows the look of names like Ashleigh and Kayleigh. In the United States Carleigh entered the top 1000 in 2008 and peaked at number 925 in 2010, but it has slipped every year since, down to number 2588 in 2025 with 67 girls.