ESC Name Rank Total Searching... No names found Try searching for: Emma, Liam, Olivia, Noah... 1954 First Year 1955 Last Year 1954 Peak Year #5753 Peak Rank 10 Total Count 2 Years Active 🌍 ## Meaning & Origin of Cal What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. Cal is most commonly a masculine given name or a shortened form of a given name, or rarely a variant of the Irish name Cathal. It may refer to: Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cal%5F%28given%5Fname%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cal%5F%28given%5Fname%29) ### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name) * English 📖 ## The Story of Cal The earliest SSA record of Cal as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 19 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 451 newborns named Cal — #628 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 31% of all recorded Cals. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #628 among baby boy names with 451 births, rising sharply (+106% over the past five years). In total, more than 8K Cals have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s. ## Popularity Over Time ## Popularity by State ME WA MT ND MN WI MI NY VT NH MA OR ID SD IA IL IN OH PA NJ CT RI CA NV WY NE MO KY WV VA MD DE DC UT CO KS AR TN NC SC AK AZ NM OK LA MS AL GA HI TX FL Top 10 11-50 51-100 101-500 500+ No data 🔗 ## Variants & Related Forms of Cal Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Cal. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * [Calvin](/calvin) 🎶 ## Names that sound like Cal Phonetically similar names — useful when Cal is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * [Kal](/kal) * [Kalle](/kalle) * Cool * Call * [Coal](/coal) * [Cole](/cole) * Coil * Cull * Col * Coll * Cowl * Chel Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. ❓ ## Frequently Asked Questions about Cal What does the name Cal mean? Cal is most commonly a masculine given name or a shortened form of a given name, or rarely a variant of the Irish name Cathal. It may refer to: What is the origin of the name Cal? Cal has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English. How popular is Cal in 2026? In 2026, Cal ranks #628 among boys' names in the U.S., with 451 babies given the name that year. When was Cal most popular? Cal reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #392 that year with 451 babies given the name. In which U.S. states is Cal most popular? Cal has historically been most popular in Utah, North Dakota, Montana. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Cal. Is Cal a unisex name? In U.S. Social Security records, Cal is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name. What names go well with Cal? Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Cal include Lucien, Hershel, Oakley. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data. What are nicknames or variants of Cal? Common variants and related forms of Cal include Calvin. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms. ## Similar Names [👧AnnethaPeak #5753](/annetha)[👧ArleasePeak #5753](/arlease)[👧BunniPeak #5753](/bunni)[👧CairnPeak #5753](/cairn)[👧CappyPeak #5753](/cappy)[👧CarlleenPeak #5753](/carlleen)[👧CharmePeak #5753](/charme)[👧ChinestaPeak #5753](/chinesta) ## About the name Cal Cal is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 8K births in the dataset. Cal's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #392\. Use the chart and map above to compare Cal's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices. ### Continue exploring * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) * [ Names of the 2020s → ](/decade/2020s) * [ Names starting with "C" → ](/letter/c) * [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys) * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) Data sources * Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships. * Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms). * Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/). * Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/). * Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.