Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 2002

Kaija

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #7,663
Rank 2025
#7,663
among girls · ↓1,146 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
14
named Kaija
How common
1 in 114,805
girls born in 2025
Peak year
2002
49 babies
All-time total
1,028
#7,381 all-time among girls
First recorded
1967
in Social Security records

Kaija popularity over time

1,028 babies have been named Kaija since 1967, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.020.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2001Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s 5 1 – #7,251
1970s 44 4 +780% #5,763
1980s 77 8 +75% #5,670
1990s 234 23 +204% #3,256
2000s 356 36 +52% #2,985
2010s 210 21 -41% #4,301
2020s (to 2025) 102 17 -19% #4,928

The story of Kaija

Kaija is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #7,663 in 2025 with 14 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1967, 1,028 American babies have been named Kaija. Its peak came in 2002, when 49 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kaija stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Kaija?

The median living Kaija is about 22 years old; half are between 13 and 29. An estimated 1,000 people named Kaija are alive in the United States today.

median 22 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Kaija year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 14 #7,663
2024 18 #6,517
2023 27 #4,928
2022 12 #8,771
2021 12 #8,713
2020 19 #6,191
2019 26 #5,094
2018 19 #6,373
2017 18 #6,665
2016 34 #4,301
2015 17 #7,115
2014 18 #6,846
2013 14 #8,340
2012 15 #8,008
2011 19 #6,711
2010 30 #4,796
2009 28 #5,152
2008 33 #4,587
2007 42 #3,821
2006 26 #5,304
2005 35 #4,065
2004 28 #4,765
2003 36 #3,840
2002 49 #2,993
2001 48 #2,985
2000 31 #4,024
1995 23 #4,416
1990 11 #7,556
1985 7 #8,726
1980 8 #7,720
1975 9 #6,166
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Kaija

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Kaija Saariaho Kaija Saariaho Finnish composer (1952–2023) Contemporary
  2. 2 Kaija Kärkinen Kaija Kärkinen Finnish singer and actress (born 1962) Contemporary
  3. 3 Kaija Mustonen Kaija Mustonen Finnish speed skater b. 1941 · Contemporary
  4. 4 Kaija Parve Estonian biathlete (born 1964) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Kaija, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Kaija?

The median living Kaija is about 22 years old. Half of all living Kaijas are between 13 and 29 years old.

How many people named Kaija are alive today?

An estimated 1,000 people named Kaija are alive in the United States, based on 1,028 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Kaija in 2025?

Kaija ranked #7,663 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 14 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kaija?

1,028 babies have been named Kaija in the United States since 1967, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kaija most popular?

Kaija peaked in 2002, when 49 newborns received the name.

Is Kaija a boy or girl name?

Kaija is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Kaija rising or falling?

Kaija is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Kaija?

Well-known people named Kaija include Kaija Saariaho (composer), Kaija Kärkinen (singer), Kaija Mustonen (skater).

Names like Kaija

Names that sound and feel close to Kaija: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Kaija with similar names → More names starting with K →