Cale
Cale was the 2722nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 47 babies. Its best year was 1984, when it ranked 596th; the most babies were born in 2008 (395). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,443 places. More babies were named Cale in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Kael) Origin not documented
- Rank in 2025
- #2,722 boys, up 169 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 47boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2008395 babies
- Total since 1880
- 8,291babies recorded
What does the name Cale mean?
Cale is a spelling of Kael, pronounced the same way, so it shares Kael's meaning and origin.
Kael has no settled origin in the dictionaries we checked, and Wiktionary has no entry for it as a given name. Wikipedia describes it as Irish, from caol 'slender', and connects it with Kellen, but cites no source; caol is a real Irish word meaning 'thin, slender', but no Irish personal name Kael is recorded in our references. It is best treated as a modern name of undocumented origin.
How sure is this? Not documented. The Irish 'slender' explanation is unsourced and unconfirmed.
Other explanations you may read: Irish, from caol 'slender'.
Sources for this meaning
- Wikipedia, 'Kael', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'caol' (Irish section), Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (usage history only), US Social Security Administration
- CMU Pronouncing Dictionary (cmudict), Carnegie Mellon University
Cale popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 84 since 2006.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,722 | 47 |
| 2020 | #2,891 | 41 |
| 2010 | #691 | 339 |
| 2000 | #839 | 191 |
| 1990 | #922 | 125 |
| 1980 | #894 | 100 |
| 1970 | #922 | 75 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | #3,646 | 6 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Cale, counting every spelling?
Cale is a spelling of Kael, a name family that ranked #659 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,722 for Cale on its own. Together these spellings went to 407 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kael | 263 | #903 | 622 |
| Cael | 79 | #1,945 | 263 |
| Cale | 47 | #2,722 | 192 |
| Kale | 11 | #7,419 | 93 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Cale?
47 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Cale (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Cale born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 179 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Cale.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Cale?
About 7,900 people born in the US named Cale are alive today, with a median age of 24; half are between 17 and 37. That makes Cale mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Cale by state
How common Cale was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 50 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Cale: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Cale, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Cale
How popular is the name Cale?
Cale was the 2722nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 47 babies. Its best year was 1984, when it ranked 596th; the most babies were born in 2008 (395). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,443 places. More babies were named Cale in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Cale a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Cale in the US.
Where is Cale most popular?
In 2021–2025, Cale was most common in Colorado (0.15 per 1,000 boys).