Kalev
Kalev is an Estonian masculine given name, derived from national folk hero Kalev. Related Finnish names are Kaleva and Kalevi.
Meaning & Origin of Kalev
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kalev is an Estonian masculine given name, derived from national folk hero Kalev. Related Finnish names are Kaleva and Kalevi.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kalev
Kalev first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2000, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2014, when 21 Kalevs were born — ranking #4,537 that year. As of 2026, Kalev ranks #5,923 for baby boys with 15 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 263 Kalevs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kalev
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kalev 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 Kalev
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About the name Kalev
Kalev is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2000 and has accumulated 263 births in the dataset. Kalev's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #4,537. Use the chart and map above to compare Kalev'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 "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.