Behind the name: Caelan, the top rising Irish name for baby boys

Look no further than "Caelan", a lovely name that seems to have a soft spot in the rugby world.

Here’s everything we know about the increasingly popular moniker for baby boys:

Meaning and origin

Pronounced "kay-lan" or "key-lan", Caelan is a modernised version of the Irish name Caolán which means "slender".

Though it’s more commonly used for boys, the name Caelan is actually gender-neutral. It’s a lovely lyrical name that can be spelled in a myriad of other ways from Cailin and Caolain to Kealan or Keelin.

Popularity

According to the Central Statistics Office, the name Caelan was the top riser in baby boy’s names in Ireland in 2023, up 58 places to 50th place.

It was also a new entry on the Top 100 list amongst other Irish names such as Éanna and Dáithí.

Are there any famous Caelans?

One well-known Caelan is Irish rugby’s Caelan Doris. The 26-year-old Mayo native plays for both the national team and his province of Leinster.

And it appears Caelan is a strong rugby name for a little lad, as former sportsman Andrew Conway and his wife Lizzy gave their newborn son the moniker when they welcomed him Earthside in March.

* This article was orignally published on Rollercoaster.ie.