Cali
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily. The origin of surname Calì is thought to be from the Greek word kalos (beautiful), or from its Sanskrit root kali (time).
- English
- Somali
Meaning & Origin of Cali
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily. The origin of surname Calì is thought to be from the Greek word kalos (beautiful), or from its Sanskrit root kali (time).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Somali
The Story of Cali
American parents first put Cali on the record books as a baby girl name in 1959, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 1,663 Calis were born — ranking #202 that year. About 48% of every Cali on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Cali ranks #602 for baby girls with 504 births, falling sharply (-42%). All told, over 24K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1950s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Cali
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Cali. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Cali
Phonetically similar names — useful when Cali 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 Cali
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About the name Cali
Cali is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1959 and has accumulated 24K births in the dataset. Cali's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #202. Use the chart and map above to compare Cali's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2014 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl 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.