Cassidy: Baby Name Meaning, Nicknames and Numerology

What does the baby name “Cassidy” mean?

Cassidy is a spirited Irish name meaning "curly-haired," arriving via a Gaelic surname with a warm, playful personality that works beautifully for both boys and girls.

Origin of the baby name Cassidy

Cassidy comes from the Irish surname Ó Caiside, meaning "descendant of Caiside," from the Gaelic root "cas" meaning "curly-haired." The surname originated in County Fermanagh, where the O'Cassidy family were hereditary physicians to the Maguire clan. The name was Anglicized as Cassidy and eventually made its way into use as a given name.

Baby Cassidy: The Achiever →

History of the baby name “Cassidy”

As a surname, Cassidy has been part of Irish heritage for centuries. As a first name, it emerged primarily in the United States from the mid-20th century onward, helped along by cultural associations with the American West, particularly through the fictional outlaw Butch Cassidy. By the 1990s and 2000s it had become well established as a girl's name, though it retains a unisex quality that suits modern naming sensibilities.

Why parents choose the baby name “Cassidy”

Cassidy is full of life: it bounces, it sparkles, and it carries that curly-haired meaning right into its personality. Parents who want a name with genuine Irish heritage but a breezy, outgoing feel consistently choose Cassidy. Nickname options Cass and Cassie give it an even more playful shorthand, and it ages gracefully from a kid's playground name to a professional adult name.

Nicknames for the Baby Name “Cassidy”

Cass, Cassy, Cassin, Casskin, Cassster, Casserino, Cassinator

Nicknames from Around the World for the Baby Name “Cassidy”

Terms of endearment for a baby name work differently around the world. Some cultures clip the name short, while others add an affectionate ending that can make it longer instead. Here is how the baby name Cassidy might sound as a nickname in a few other languages and dialects.

Australian:

Casso, Cazza

British:

Casses

German:

Cassidychen

Irish:

Casseen

Italian:

Cassidetto

Spanish:

Cassidito

Variations on the baby name “Cassidy”

Kassidy is the most common alternative spelling, shifting the first letter for a slightly different visual style. Casady is a rarer variant. Related names in the Irish surname tradition include Cassin and Cassil. The nickname Cass has an independent existence as a name in its own right, and Cassie is a beloved short form.

Spelling variants