| Casey | Quinn | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Vigilant in war | Descendant of Conn; chief |
| Origin | irish | Irish |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | KAY-see | KWIN |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1888 | 1948 |
| Peak year | 1990 (4,134) | 2016 (3,649) |
| In 2025 | 1,072 | 2,634 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Casey | Quinn |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5,474 | 17,572 |
| 2010s | 5,582 | 27,227 |
| 2000s | 12,261 | 4,439 |
| 1990s | 29,253 | 1,821 |
| 1980s | 35,968 | 945 |
| 1970s | 18,987 | 326 |
| 1960s | 4,723 | 163 |
| 1950s | 2,656 | 5 |
| 1940s | 571 | 5 |
| 1930s | 277 | 0 |
| 1920s | 347 | 0 |
| 1910s | 444 | 0 |
| 1900s | 89 | 0 |
| 1890s | 37 | 0 |
| 1880s | 6 | 0 |
From the Irish surname Ó Cathasaigh, whose byname 'cathasach' derives from 'cath' (battle) and is usually glossed 'vigilant, watchful' (in war); a secondary reading is 'noisy'.
Quinn comes from the Irish surname Ó Cuinn, “descendant of Conn,” with Conn carrying the sense of “chief” or “wisdom.”
Quinn is more popular than Casey today: about 2,634 US babies were given the name Quinn in 2025, compared with 1,072 named Casey.
Casey means Vigilant in war (irish origin), while Quinn means Descendant of Conn; chief (Irish origin).
In US records, Casey first appears in 1888 and Quinn in 1948, so Casey has the longer recorded history.