Karleigh

Meaning of Karleigh

Karleigh is a modern, gently spirited variation of Carly—a diminutive of the Old German Karl, meaning “free person”—with the fashionable English suffix “-leigh,” which evokes images of a sun-tipped meadow. Together, the name whispers “free soul in an open field,” a picture that resonates as sweetly on an American playground as it might amid the jasmine-scented breezes of an Indian spring evening. First recorded in U.S. charts in the mid-1980s and rising to its zenith around 2016, Karleigh has remained uncommon enough to feel special while still familiar on the tongue (pronounced KAHR-lee). Parents often associate it with independence, creativity and a dash of playful charm—the sort of girl who twirls her anklet, asks curious questions and still manages a top-of-the-class grin. Lighthearted yet substantial, Karleigh offers a delightful blend of traditional roots and contemporary sparkle, making it a name that feels at once grounded and ready to dance in the monsoon rain.