Calista
Girl name · #1594 in 2025 · Rare
Calista is currently the #1594 girl name in the United States — 131 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1372, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,740 girls born in 2025 was named Calista.
Babies named Calista per year. Source: SSA.
The 131-year story
Calista first appears in the Social Security records in 1894, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1999, when 490 girls were named Calista — good for #519 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Calista against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Calista in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Calista is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Calista will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Calista is most common
State-level data for Calista is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Calista
Statistically, parents drawn to Calista tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Callista, Kalista, Alaysha, Cienna, and Ayanna.
CallistaKalistaAlayshaCiennaAyannaCarsonPriscilaNoelia
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Calista | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 131 | #1592 |
| 2024 | 151 | #1452 |
| 2023 | 120 | #1709 |
| 2022 | 114 | #1793 |
| 2021 | 139 | #1516 |
| 2020 | 99 | #1924 |
| 2019 | 164 | #1373 |
| 2018 | 130 | #1633 |
| 2017 | 149 | #1489 |
| 2016 | 183 | #1307 |
| 2015 | 172 | #1372 |
| 2014 | 155 | #1454 |
| 2013 | 170 | #1371 |
| 2012 | 196 | #1237 |
| 2011 | 210 | #1164 |
| 2010 | 235 | #1054 |
| 2009 | 191 | #1272 |
| 2008 | 207 | #1222 |
| 2007 | 264 | #1001 |
| 2006 | 231 | #1093 |
| 2005 | 223 | #1067 |
| 2004 | 282 | #870 |
| 2003 | 271 | #889 |
| 2002 | 305 | #775 |
| 2001 | 358 | #697 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Calista a popular girl name?
Calista ranked #1594 among girls in 2025 with 131 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1372.
When was the name Calista most popular?
Calista peaked in 1999, when 490 American girls received the name (ranked #519 that year). Since 1999 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Calista?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,740 newborn American girls was named Calista. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
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.