Cal
Boy name · #542 in 2025 · Distinctive
Cal is currently the #542 boy name in the United States — 554 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1252, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,249 boys born in 2025 was named Cal.
Babies named Cal per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Cal first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 19 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 554 babies and a rank of #542. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cal against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cal in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cal is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Cal is most common
Geography matters for names, and Cal is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Cal is most common in UT (1.7 per 1,000), IA (1.5 per 1,000), ID (1.4 per 1,000), NE (1.1 per 1,000), WI (1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Cal is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Cal
Cal belongs to the Calvin family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Calvin family went to about 3,264 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #108, versus #542 for Cal alone.
Names like Cal
Statistically, parents drawn to Cal tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Royal, Azael, Eliel, Rio, and Azriel.
RoyalAzaelElielRioAzrielCreedEmirCamilo
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cal | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 554 | #542 |
| 2024 | 409 | #670 |
| 2023 | 373 | #711 |
| 2022 | 343 | #748 |
| 2021 | 263 | #879 |
| 2020 | 235 | #935 |
| 2019 | 166 | #1167 |
| 2018 | 150 | #1234 |
| 2017 | 159 | #1175 |
| 2016 | 160 | #1183 |
| 2015 | 144 | #1252 |
| 2014 | 129 | #1340 |
| 2013 | 99 | #1568 |
| 2012 | 90 | #1687 |
| 2011 | 88 | #1687 |
| 2010 | 88 | #1725 |
| 2009 | 94 | #1665 |
| 2008 | 90 | #1692 |
| 2007 | 100 | #1562 |
| 2006 | 85 | #1669 |
| 2005 | 90 | #1554 |
| 2004 | 84 | #1565 |
| 2003 | 88 | #1478 |
| 2002 | 95 | #1384 |
| 2001 | 89 | #1400 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cal a popular boy name?
Cal ranked #542 among boys in 2025 with 554 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1252.
When was the name Cal most popular?
Cal peaked in 2025, when 554 American boys received the name (ranked #542 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Cal?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,249 newborn American boys was named Cal. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.