Girl · #15,178 in 2026

Caledonia

Caledonia was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the forested region in the central and western Scottish Highlands, particularly stretching through parts of what are now Lochaber, Badenoch, Strathspey, and possibly as far south as Rannoch Moor, known as Coed Celedon to the native Brython (Britons). Today, it is used as a romantic or poetic name for all of Scotland.

Current Rank
#15,178
Peak Rank
#9,048 (2003)
Total Babies
97
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1900
First Year
2023
Last Year
2003
Peak Year
#9048
Peak Rank
97
Total Count
14
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Caledonia

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Caledonia was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the forested region in the central and western Scottish Highlands, particularly stretching through parts of what are now Lochaber, Badenoch, Strathspey, and possibly as far south as Rannoch Moor, known as Coed Celedon to the native Brython (Britons). Today, it is used as a romantic or poetic name for all of Scotland.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
In 1824, Scottish antiquarian George Chalmers posited that Caledonia derived from Cal-ydon , the name of a Greek province famous for its forests. He hypothesized that classical writers such as Tacitus later applied this name to the Scottish Highlands as another area of woods. This derivation is no longer accepted by modern linguists. According to linguist Stefan Zimmer, Caledonia is derived from the tribal name Caledones (a Latinization of a Brittonic nominative plural n-stem Calēdones or Calīdones , from earlier * Kalē=Black River=don/Danue Goddess[i]oi ). He etymologises this name as perhaps

The Story of Caledonia

Caledonia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1900, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2003, when 11 Caledonias were born — ranking #9,048 that year. As of 2026, Caledonia ranks #15,178 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 97 Caledonias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s 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
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Top 10
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101-500
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No data

Names that sound like Caledonia

Phonetically similar names — useful when Caledonia is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Caladenia
  • Caledonian
  • Cladonia
  • Catatonia
  • Claytonia
  • Caledon
  • Coccydynia
  • Colonia
  • Kolonia
  • Allodynia
  • Clintonia
  • Kalidasa

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Caledonia

What does the name Caledonia mean?
Caledonia was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the forested region in the central and western Scottish Highlands, particularly stretching through parts of what are now Lochaber, Badenoch, Strathspey, and possibly as far south as Rannoch Moor, known as Coed Celedon to the native Brython (Britons). Today, it is used as a romantic or poetic name for all of Scotland.
How popular is Caledonia in 2026?
In 2026, Caledonia ranks #15,178 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Caledonia most popular?
Caledonia reached its peak popularity in 2003, ranking #9,048 that year with 11 babies given the name.
Is Caledonia a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Caledonia is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Caledonia?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Caledonia include Zinia, Danijela, Areliz. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Zinia
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Danijela
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Areliz
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Gavriela
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Brendaly
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Chinara
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Tolulope
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Sairah
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About the name Caledonia

Caledonia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1900 and has accumulated 97 births in the dataset. Caledonia's peak popularity came in 2003 when it ranked #9,048. Use the chart and map above to compare Caledonia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.