Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2008

Kale

Gender Boy · 3% girls Rank 2025 #7,419

Kale, sometimes spelt as Kayle or abbreviated from Kalen, is a Gaelic unisex given name, although it is more commonly given to males.

Rank 2025
#7,419
among boys · ↓2,083 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
11
named Kale
How common
1 in 155,280
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2008
567 babies
All-time total
7,605
#1,429 all-time among boys
First recorded
1917
in Social Security records

Kale popularity over time

7,605 babies have been named Kale since 1917, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.080.150.230.318801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – 6 6 1 – #3,761
1920s – 11 11 1 +83% #2,674
1930s – 5 5 1 -55% #3,796
1940s – 6 6 1 +20% #3,163
1950s – 41 41 4 +583% #2,436
1960s – 117 117 12 +185% #2,070
1970s 5 322 327 33 +179% #1,402
1980s 41 745 786 79 +140% #859
1990s 40 1,070 1,110 111 +41% #999
2000s 106 2,879 2,985 299 +169% #504
2010s 34 2,059 2,093 209 -30% #590
2020s (to 2025) – 118 118 20 -91% #3,871

The story of Kale

Kale is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,419 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1917, 7,605 American babies have been named Kale. Its peak came in 2008, when 567 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

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 Kale stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Kale?

The median living Kale is about 19 years old; half are between 15 and 29. An estimated 7,400 people named Kale are alive in the United States today.

median 19 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Kale 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 – – 11 #7,419
2024 – – 18 #5,336
2023 – – 13 #6,708
2022 – – 23 #4,503
2021 – – 28 #3,871
2020 – – 25 #4,081
2019 – – 26 #4,059
2018 – – 46 #2,688
2017 – – 62 #2,177
2016 – – 101 #1,607
2015 – – 177 #1,097
2014 – – 216 #971
2013 5 #17,888 259 #830
2012 11 #10,055 325 #722
2011 5 #18,129 424 #590
2010 13 #8,959 423 #591
2009 15 #8,242 521 #518
2008 23 #6,030 544 #504
2007 18 #7,238 382 #635
2006 23 #5,812 272 #767
2005 10 #10,504 264 #754
2004 – – 225 #803
2003 5 #16,990 184 #907
2002 – – 179 #904
2001 6 #14,381 158 #975
2000 6 #13,996 150 #990
1995 – – 94 #1,196
1990 8 #9,662 108 #1,021
1985 8 #7,895 92 #955
1980 – – 43 #1,455
1975 – – 36 #1,490
1970 – – 28 #1,640
1965 – – 7 #3,403
1960 – – 9 #2,970
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – 6 #3,163
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – 11 #2,674
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Kale, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Kale?

The median living Kale is about 19 years old. Half of all living Kales are between 15 and 29 years old.

How many people named Kale are alive today?

An estimated 7,400 people named Kale are alive in the United States, based on 7,605 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Kale mean?

Kale, sometimes spelt as Kayle or abbreviated from Kalen, is a Gaelic unisex given name, although it is more commonly given to males.

How popular is the name Kale in 2025?

Kale ranked #7,419 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kale?

7,605 babies have been named Kale in the United States since 1917, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kale most popular?

Kale peaked in 2008, when 567 newborns received the name.

Is Kale a boy or girl name?

Kale is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 97% of babies with the name.

Is the name Kale rising or falling?

Kale is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Kale

Names that sound and feel close to Kale: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Kale with similar names → More names starting with K →