Cal
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Cal
Cal is a nickname style name that feels as friendly and calm as it does cool and breezy. While its longer forms have proved more popular over the years, Cal as a stand alone has dropped on and off of the US Top 1000 since the 1880s.
Cal for boys#543 US
Traditionally, Cal derives from the Biblical Caleb, giving it the meaning "dog" or "the whole of". Alternatively, it comes from the English name Calvin, meaning bald. There are however a multitude of other origins, including Callum, Callahan, Callan, Pascal, Connally, Calix, and Macauley, which gives you the chance to pick whichever meaning you like best, some of which are listed above.
You could go for one of these long forms if your prefer something more formal or with a more solid meaning, but Cal as a standalone name has a long history of use. Since US records began, there has never been a year when it wasn't given to at least 5 babies, and. as of 2020, it is back in the US Top 1000 and on the rise.
Given to around 370 babies each year, Cal fits in with other nickname style names, like Leo, Jack, Finn, Ty, Drew, and Mack.
Cal for girls
If Caroline is too classic and Callie too cutesy, Cal might work as a cool alternative. Well established and currently in the Top 1000 for boys, it has potential as a gender neutral option too.
Yet to rank in the US stats as a stand alone girl name, that could change in the future as it has a similar feel to Scout, Kit, Tru, or Liv.
If you love Cal as a nickname but would prefer a longer form that Caroline, you could consider Callista, Callahan, Calliope, Pascale, Callaway or Carmel.
Pronounced KAL.
As of October 2026, Cal ranked #543 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #393 in 1880, Nameberry popularity #218.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,341 | 129 | 67.2 |
| 2015 | #1,255 | 144 | 75.1 |
| 2016 | #1,185 | 160 | 84.3 |
| 2017 | #1,176 | 159 | 85.9 |
| 2018 | #1,235 | 150 | 82.6 |
| 2019 | #1,168 | 166 | 92.5 |
| 2020 | #937 | 235 | 136.1 |
| 2021 | #878 | 263 | 150.3 |
| 2022 | #747 | 343 | 196.4 |
| 2023 | #712 | 373 | 218.1 |
| 2024 | #670 | 408 | 236.8 |
| 2025 | #543 | 554 | 324.3 |
World rankings
Cal for boys
Similar names
These 40 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Cal.
Similar boy names
Similar girl names
Cal on lists
Famous Cals
- Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken Jr.Boy
American baseball player
- Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken Sr.Boy
American baseball player
- Robert Calvin "Cal" HubbardBoy
American NFL player and baseball umpire
- Calvin "Cal" ScrubyBoy
American hip,hop artist
- Cal Smith (born Calvin Grant Shofner)Boy
American country music singer
- John Calvin "Cal" ThomasBoy
American columnist and pundit
- Calvin Coolidge "Cal" WorthingtonBoy
American car dealer famous for his commercials
- Calvin M. "Cal" DooleyBoy
U.S. Congressman from California
- Callen Radcliffe "Cal" Tjader Jr.Boy
American jazz musician
- Callahan "Cal" O'ReillyBoy
Canadian ice hockey player
- Silent CalBoy
nickname for U.S. President Calvin Coolidge
- Callum AireyBoy
YouTube personality known as Calfreezy
- ^v not the same personBoy
although they do live together
- Callum McGinleyBoy
YouTube personality known as Callux
- Cal TetleyBoy
English Metal Detectorist
Cal in pop culture
- Cal LightmanBoy
main character on TV's "Lie to Me"
- Caledon "Cal" HockleyBoy
character in movie "Titanic"
- Judge CalBoy
character in Judge Dredd comics
- "CalBoy
" 1984 Irish movie and novel by Bernard MacLaverty
- "CalBoy
" short story about a robot by Isaac Asimov
- Cal MorrisonBoy
character in TV's "Orphan Black"
- Calvin "Cal" Zabo/JohnsonBoy
character in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Caleb 'Cal' TraskBoy
character in John Steinbeck's 'East of Eden'
- Tiberias "Cal" CaloreBoy
character from novel Red Queen
- Cal WeaverBoy
main character in film "Crazy, Stupid, Love"
Variations & nicknames
- KalBoy