boy's name
Kailum
KAY-lum (English)
- Origin Disputed
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Births on record 329
Kailum is a rare boy's name whose origin is disputed. Some sites connect it to the Latin caelum, "sky" or "heaven," while its use in England and Wales and in Ireland suggests a respelling of the Scottish name Callum, from Latin columba, "dove."
- Peaked in England and Wales in 1997, when 17 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in England and Wales.
- First appears in birth records in 1996.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Kailum Over Time
Births per decade in England and Wales, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 45 |
| 2000s | 119 |
| 2010s | 69 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 7 |
What Kailum Means
The meaning of Kailum is unsettled. It's read as sky or heaven by some references and is closest in sound to Callum, which means dove, so the two meanings depend on which older name it follows.
Where Kailum Comes From
MomJunction gives heaven and sky and calls Kailum English and Latin. Mother & Baby lists it as a variant of the Latin word caelum, again meaning sky. FirstCry offers "the one who has the keys," which fits neither root. The strongest clue lies in where the name is used, because England, Wales and Ireland are its main home, and those are places where Callum and Calum have long been popular. Callum comes through Gaelic Calum from Latin columba, dove, the name of Saint Columba. A K spelling and a long first vowel may have been a way to personalize it.
Kailum in Use
With a recent spelling like this one, the printed gloss tells you which name a writer compared it with. Families choosing Kailum are probably responding to the sound of Callum and Kai.
How Popular Is Kailum?
In 2021, Kailum was given to 4 babies in England and Wales. It was given to fewer than three babies in the most recent year of published figures for England and Wales.
Where Kailum Is Used
Figures for England and Wales leave out any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Kailum
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Kailum Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Kailum over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Kailum
- English KAY-lum
Kailum in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Kailum
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Kailum — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Kailum
What does the name Kailum mean?
No meaning is agreed. Sites give sky or heaven, while its likely model, Callum, means dove.
Why do sources disagree about Kailum?
It's a modern spelling with no history of its own, so sites compare it with different older names.
How do you pronounce Kailum?
KAY-lum, with the stress on the first syllable.
How popular is the name Kailum?
In 2021, Kailum was given to 4 babies in England and Wales. It was given to fewer than three babies in the most recent year of published figures for England and Wales.
Is Kailum a girl's or a boy's name?
Kailum is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Kailum?
Kailum has 2 syllables.
When was Kailum most popular?
Kailum peaked in 1997, when 17 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.