Calafia
cuh-LA-fee-uh
Literature
"successor"
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Updated Thu Mar 13 2025
Calafia Origin and Meaning
The name Calafia is a girl's name meaning "successor".
A 16th-century literary creation, that likely inspired the names of the American and Mexican states of California. Calafia was created by writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo for his novel, The Adventures of Esplandián, in which it was borne by a queen.
Montalvo possibly based it on the Spanish form of the Arabic title, khalifa, elaborating califa into something that sounded more name-like.
It could make an interesting nod to California, or provide an unusual route to Callie, Fia, or Calla.