Cassidy peaked in 1999, the same year as the Rugrats movie and the height of WB Network teen dramas, and it's been falling ever since. But a name that peaked at 25 years ago is entering interesting territory: the original Cassidys are now adults, their name is too young to feel historical but too old to feel current, and that gap is exactly where revivals begin.
Irish Roots and What They Mean
Cassidy comes from the Irish surname Ó Caiside, meaning "descendant of Caiside" — a personal name derived from cas, meaning "curly-haired." That is a remarkably specific and charming etymology: a name that began as a description of someone's actual hair. It belongs to the broader family of Irish names that made the surname-to-first-name crossing in America during the 20th century, alongside Riley, Kennedy, and Quinn.
Cassidy Across Pop Culture
Butch Cassidy — the outlaw played by Paul Newman in the 1969 film — was born Robert LeRoy Parker and took the Cassidy surname from his mentor. The name thus carries both Irish roots and Old West mythology simultaneously. In music, the Grateful Dead's "Cassidy" added a counterculture warmth. David Cassidy, the teen idol of the early 1970s, added another layer of American pop memory. A name with this many cultural anchors has unusual depth for something that sounds breezy.
A Name Waiting for Its Moment
Cassidy's current mid-range position, down significantly from its 1999 high, puts it in the same category as names like Miranda and Tiffany: clearly past peak, not yet vintage. The question is whether it has the bones to make a comeback. We think yes. The Irish etymology is solid, the sound travels beautifully across age groups, and the cultural associations are warm rather than dated. Browse falling names to see where Cassidy stands in that longer arc.