Kaija
A girl's name of Scandinavian origin with 1,014 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
a female given name
Kaija is a girl's baby name of Scandinavian origin, a Finnish and Estonian form of Katherine, from the Greek Aikaterine, possibly meaning 'pure' — one of Finland and Estonia's most beloved feminine names, with a clean Nordic sound.
With over 1,000 recorded births, Kaija is the Finnish and Estonian form of the Katherine family of names — in Finland, it is pronounced KAI-ya and has been consistently popular. Finnish and Estonian naming traditions have given the world some of the most cleanly beautiful names — Kaija has that Nordic simplicity, two syllables that feel effortlessly elegant in any language. It is the Finnish equivalent of Kay or Kate while maintaining its own distinct Nordic character.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Kaija's final sounds are open, warm — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. In English-language naming, many feminine names end on open vowels or soft consonants, creating a melodic, approachable quality. Kaija follows that feminine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Kaija's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Kaija was #4765 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #6484, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 88 | #7013 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 210 | #6423 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 356 | #4154 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 234 | #4805 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 77 | #8311 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 44 | #7434 | ▲ |
| 1960s | 5 | #7250 | — |
The Story of Kaija
A Gen Z name
Peaking in 2002, Kaija is a name that defines a generation. Girls named Kaija are most likely born between 1992 and 2012.
How rare is Kaija?
Only about 1 in every 200,000 babies born in 2024 was named Kaija — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1967, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 2000s with 356 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Kaija by the numbers
- Would fill 21 school buses
- Meeting one Kaija per day would take 2.8 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(51 years, 1967–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18 | #6484 |
| 2023 | 27 | #4925 |
| 2022 | 12 | #8766 |
| 2021 | 12 | #8704 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6186 |
| 2019 | 26 | #5094 |
| 2018 | 19 | #6371 |
| 2017 | 18 | #6661 |
| 2016 | 34 | #4299 |
| 2015 | 17 | #7113 |
| 2014 | 18 | #6845 |
| 2013 | 14 | #8340 |
| 2012 | 15 | #8006 |
| 2011 | 19 | #6711 |
| 2010 | 30 | #4793 |
| 2009 | 28 | #5152 |
| 2008 | 33 | #4587 |
| 2007 | 42 | #3821 |
| 2006 | 26 | #5303 |
| 2005 | 35 | #4065 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kaija a boy's or girl's name?
When was Kaija most popular?
How popular is the name Kaija?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1967–2024