Kaylee is a modern American name, usually explained as a combination of Kay and the ending -lee or as a respelling of the Irish Ceilidh, a "gathering" or "party" with music and dancing; it is also read as a form of Kayla, "laurel" or "crown". Its many spellings, from Kayleigh to Kaylie, show how much it is driven by sound. Kaylee was number 72 in 2000, peaked at number 26 in the United States in 2009 and has dropped steadily since to number 255 among girls' names in 2025.