boy's name
Cal
KAL (English)
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 8,544
the United States
#543
2025 births
Cal is a boy's name with 1 syllable. In 2025 it was given to 554 babies in the United States, ranking #543. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
- Peaked in 2025, when 554 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,984 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Cal Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 104 |
| 1890s | 87 |
| 1900s | 59 |
| 1910s | 176 |
| 1920s | 249 |
| 1930s | 215 |
| 1940s | 309 |
| 1950s | 548 |
| 1960s | 458 |
| 1970s | 288 |
| 1980s | 333 |
| 1990s | 689 |
| 2000s | 903 |
| 2010s | 1,273 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,177 |
How Popular Is Cal?
In 2025, Cal was given to 554 babies in the United States, ranking #543 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Cal Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Cal
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Cal Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Cal over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Cal
- English KAL
Sibling Names for Cal
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Cal — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Cal
How popular is the name Cal?
In 2025, Cal was given to 554 babies in the United States, ranking #543 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Cal a girl's or a boy's name?
Cal is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Cal?
Cal has 1 syllable.
When was Cal most popular?
Cal peaked in 2025, when 554 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Cal a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Cal currently ranks #331 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.