Caleb
Boy name · #58 in 2025 · Well-known
Caleb is currently the #58 boy name in the United States — 5,217 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #37, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 345 boys born in 2025 was named Caleb.
The 145-year story
Caleb first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 27 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2002, when 11,665 boys were named Caleb — good for #35 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Caleb per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Caleb against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Caleb in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Caleb is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Caleb is most common
Geography matters for names, and Caleb is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Caleb is most common in DC (7.1 per 1,000), MD (5.5 per 1,000), HI (5.5 per 1,000), RI (5.4 per 1,000), CT (4.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 3.6 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Caleb is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Caleb
Statistically, parents drawn to Caleb tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cameron, Jacob, Logan, Angel, and Isaiah.
CameronJacobLoganAngelIsaiahDylanIsaacCole
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Caleb | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,217 | #58 |
| 2024 | 5,795 | #49 |
| 2023 | 5,533 | #51 |
| 2022 | 5,778 | #52 |
| 2021 | 5,964 | #51 |
| 2020 | 5,616 | #56 |
| 2019 | 6,416 | #51 |
| 2018 | 6,997 | #45 |
| 2017 | 7,154 | #50 |
| 2016 | 7,982 | #44 |
| 2015 | 8,826 | #37 |
| 2014 | 9,245 | #35 |
| 2013 | 9,612 | #32 |
| 2012 | 9,977 | #32 |
| 2011 | 10,040 | #32 |
| 2010 | 10,485 | #32 |
| 2009 | 11,001 | #31 |
| 2008 | 10,579 | #34 |
| 2007 | 10,954 | #36 |
| 2006 | 11,001 | #34 |
| 2005 | 10,894 | #35 |
| 2004 | 11,307 | #33 |
| 2003 | 11,643 | #34 |
| 2002 | 11,665 | #35 |
| 2001 | 11,177 | #37 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Caleb a popular boy name?
Caleb ranked #58 among boys in 2025 with 5,217 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #37.
When was the name Caleb most popular?
Caleb peaked in 2002, when 11,665 American boys received the name (ranked #35 that year). Since 2002 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Caleb?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 345 newborn American boys was named Caleb. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
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.