Cal
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:
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 (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Cal
Cal first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 19 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 451 Cals were born — ranking #628 that year. As of 2026, Cal ranks #628 for baby boys 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
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.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cal
What does the name Cal mean?
How popular is Cal in 2026?
When was Cal most popular?
In which U.S. states is Cal most popular?
Is Cal a unisex name?
What names go well with Cal?
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 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . 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 (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
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.