Kaleem
Borrowed from Arabic كَلِيم (kalīm).
Every Kaleem since 1977 — 458 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kaleem
Kaleem is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,999 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1977, 458 American babies have been named Kaleem. Its peak came in 2016, when 21 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Kaleem stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kaleem year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | #6,999 |
| 2024 | 12 | #7,041 |
| 2023 | 11 | #7,514 |
| 2022 | 7 | #10,323 |
| 2021 | 11 | #7,356 |
| 2020 | 12 | #6,820 |
| 2019 | 13 | #6,598 |
| 2018 | 9 | #8,492 |
| 2017 | 9 | #8,498 |
| 2016 | 21 | #4,693 |
| 2015 | 6 | #11,395 |
| 2014 | 10 | #7,848 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7,823 |
| 2012 | 7 | #10,252 |
| 2011 | 16 | #5,557 |
| 2010 | 11 | #7,326 |
| 2009 | 13 | #6,628 |
| 2008 | 11 | #7,456 |
| 2007 | 9 | #8,567 |
| 2006 | 14 | #5,948 |
| 2005 | 13 | #6,042 |
| 2004 | 12 | #6,335 |
| 2003 | 10 | #6,988 |
| 2002 | 7 | #8,925 |
| 2001 | 9 | #7,214 |
| 2000 | 17 | #4,483 |
| 1995 | 18 | #3,626 |
| 1990 | 10 | #5,189 |
| 1985 | 5 | #7,068 |
| 1980 | 8 | #4,726 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kaleem mean?
Borrowed from Arabic كَلِيم (kalīm).
How popular is the name Kaleem in 2025?
Kaleem ranked #6,999 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kaleem?
458 babies have been named Kaleem in the United States since 1977, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kaleem most popular?
Kaleem peaked in 2016, when 21 newborns received the name.
Is Kaleem a boy or girl name?
Kaleem is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kaleem rising or falling?
Kaleem is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.