Kalem
The Kalem Company was an early American film studio founded in New York City in 1907. It was one of the first companies to make films abroad and to set up winter production facilities, first in Florida and then in California. Kalem was sold to Vitagraph Studios in 1917.
Meaning & Origin of Kalem
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The Kalem Company was an early American film studio founded in New York City in 1907. It was one of the first companies to make films abroad and to set up winter production facilities, first in Florida and then in California. Kalem was sold to Vitagraph Studios in 1917.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kalem
The earliest SSA record of Kalem as a baby boy name dates back to 1974, when 6 babies received it. 2017 was its biggest year on record, with 38 newborns named Kalem — #3,069 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 29% of all recorded Kalems. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,872 among baby boy names with 11 births, falling sharply (-46%). In total, more than 979 Kalems have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kalem
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kalem 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 Kalem
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About the name Kalem
Kalem is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 979 births in the dataset. Kalem's peak popularity came in 2017 when it ranked #2,691. Use the chart and map above to compare Kalem's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2017 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- 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.