Girl · #16,210 in 2026

Kalesa

A kalesa, is a two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage used in the Philippines. It is commonly vividly painted and decorated. It was the primary mode of public and private transport in the Philippines during the Spanish and the American colonial period. Their use declined with the increasing use of motorized vehicles in the 20th century, until the kalesas stopped being viable in the 1980s.

Current Rank
#16,210
Peak Rank
#16,098 (2004)
Total Babies
10
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2004
First Year
2016
Last Year
2004
Peak Year
#16098
Peak Rank
10
Total Count
2
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kalesa

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

A kalesa, is a two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage used in the Philippines. It is commonly vividly painted and decorated. It was the primary mode of public and private transport in the Philippines during the Spanish and the American colonial period. Their use declined with the increasing use of motorized vehicles in the 20th century, until the kalesas stopped being viable in the 1980s.

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

Origin & history
Kalesas in a street in Manila, circa pre-1900 Kalesas during "bicycle races" in the Bacolod public plaza in 1901 A karomata in Manila ( c. 1923 ) Kalesa (from Spanish calesa ) were first introduced to the Philippines in the 1700s by the Spanish . They became the primary mode of public and private transportation in the islands. They were manufactured by traditional workshops known as karoserya . The fodder used to feed the horses were known as zacate , the production of which was also its own significant industry due to the prevalence of kalesas. Use of the kalesa continued during the American

The Story of Kalesa

Kalesa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2004, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2004, when 5 Kalesas were born — ranking #16,098 that year. As of 2026, Kalesa ranks #16,210 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 10 Kalesas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s 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

Where is Kalesa most common?

Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.

  • CD
    78%
  • South Africa
    8%
  • Malaysia
    7%
  • SA
    4%
  • Turkey
    4%

Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.

Names that sound like Kalesa

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kalesa 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 Kalesa

What does the name Kalesa mean?
A kalesa, is a two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage used in the Philippines. It is commonly vividly painted and decorated. It was the primary mode of public and private transport in the Philippines during the Spanish and the American colonial period. Their use declined with the increasing use of motorized vehicles in the 20th century, until the kalesas stopped being viable in the 1980s.
How popular is Kalesa in 2026?
In 2026, Kalesa ranks #16,210 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Kalesa most popular?
Kalesa reached its peak popularity in 2004, ranking #16,098 that year with 5 babies given the name.
Is Kalesa a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Kalesa is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Kalesa?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kalesa include Aafreen, Aaleeya, Aalicia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Aafreen
Peak #16098
👧
Aaleeya
Peak #16098
👧
Aalicia
Peak #16098
👧
Abegale
Peak #16098
👧
Aditya
Peak #16098
👧
Adryonna
Peak #16098
👧
Ahyonna
Peak #16098
👧
Airiona
Peak #16098

About the name Kalesa

Kalesa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2004 and has accumulated 10 births in the dataset. Kalesa's peak popularity came in 2004 when it ranked #16,098. Use the chart and map above to compare Kalesa'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.