Cal
A short form of the male given names Caleb, Calum or Calvin.
Every Cal since 1880 — 7,868 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cal
Cal is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #543 in 2025 with 554 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 7,868 American babies have been named Cal. Its peak came in 2025, when 554 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cal stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cal year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 554 | #543 |
| 2024 | — | — | 409 | #670 |
| 2023 | — | — | 373 | #712 |
| 2022 | — | — | 343 | #748 |
| 2021 | — | — | 263 | #879 |
| 2020 | — | — | 235 | #937 |
| 2019 | — | — | 166 | #1,168 |
| 2018 | — | — | 150 | #1,235 |
| 2017 | — | — | 159 | #1,176 |
| 2016 | — | — | 160 | #1,185 |
| 2015 | — | — | 144 | #1,255 |
| 2014 | — | — | 129 | #1,341 |
| 2013 | — | — | 99 | #1,570 |
| 2012 | — | — | 90 | #1,689 |
| 2011 | — | — | 88 | #1,688 |
| 2010 | — | — | 88 | #1,728 |
| 2009 | — | — | 94 | #1,668 |
| 2008 | — | — | 90 | #1,693 |
| 2007 | — | — | 100 | #1,566 |
| 2006 | — | — | 85 | #1,672 |
| 2005 | — | — | 90 | #1,558 |
| 2004 | — | — | 84 | #1,567 |
| 2003 | — | — | 88 | #1,481 |
| 2002 | — | — | 95 | #1,388 |
| 2001 | — | — | 89 | #1,403 |
| 2000 | — | — | 88 | #1,410 |
| 1995 | — | — | 84 | #1,275 |
| 1990 | — | — | 41 | #1,876 |
| 1985 | — | — | 36 | #1,703 |
| 1980 | — | — | 32 | #1,770 |
| 1975 | — | — | 31 | #1,634 |
| 1970 | — | — | 37 | #1,375 |
| 1965 | — | — | 33 | #1,337 |
| 1960 | — | — | 65 | #942 |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,930 | 47 | #1,091 |
| 1950 | — | — | 34 | #1,235 |
| 1945 | — | — | 26 | #1,301 |
| 1940 | — | — | 21 | #1,477 |
| 1935 | — | — | 23 | #1,425 |
| 1930 | — | — | 19 | #1,700 |
| 1925 | — | — | 21 | #1,686 |
| 1920 | — | — | 22 | #1,652 |
| 1915 | — | — | 26 | #1,310 |
| 1910 | — | — | 10 | #1,054 |
| 1905 | — | — | 8 | #937 |
| 1900 | — | — | 10 | #848 |
| 1895 | — | — | 12 | #611 |
| 1890 | — | — | 13 | #540 |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #957 |
| 1880 | — | — | 19 | #393 |
Famous people named Cal
- Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball player · b. 1960
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cal mean?
A short form of the male given names Caleb, Calum or Calvin.
How popular is the name Cal in 2025?
Cal ranked #543 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 554 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cal?
7,868 babies have been named Cal in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cal most popular?
Cal peaked in 2025, when 554 newborns received the name.
Is Cal a boy or girl name?
Cal is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cal rising or falling?
Cal is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cal?
Well-known people named Cal include Cal Ripken Jr. (baseball player).