Kal
Boy name · #2313 in 2025 · Very rare
Kal is currently the #2313 boy name in the United States — 60 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2355, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,000 boys born in 2025 was named Kal.
Babies named Kal per year. Source: SSA.
The 78-year story
Kal first appears in the Social Security records in 1947, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 72 boys were named Kal — good for #2040 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 Kal against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kal in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kal is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kal will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kal is most common
State-level data for Kal 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 Kal
Statistically, parents drawn to Kal tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kato, Klay, Koi, Kaiel, and Klaus.
KatoKlayKoiKaielKlausKamAsielKota
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kal | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2304 |
| 2024 | 61 | #2313 |
| 2023 | 64 | #2221 |
| 2022 | 56 | #2468 |
| 2021 | 72 | #2040 |
| 2020 | 55 | #2392 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2421 |
| 2018 | 56 | #2355 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2345 |
| 2016 | 52 | #2437 |
| 2015 | 55 | #2355 |
| 2014 | 68 | #2063 |
| 2013 | 18 | #4981 |
| 2012 | 30 | #3530 |
| 2011 | 13 | #6256 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5047 |
| 2009 | 13 | #6436 |
| 2008 | 8 | #9019 |
| 2007 | 15 | #5661 |
| 2006 | 12 | #6460 |
| 2005 | 14 | #5578 |
| 2004 | 16 | #5007 |
| 2003 | 14 | #5271 |
| 2002 | 8 | #7643 |
| 2001 | 10 | #6445 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kal a popular boy name?
Kal ranked #2313 among boys in 2025 with 60 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2355.
When was the name Kal most popular?
Kal peaked in 2021, when 72 American boys received the name (ranked #2040 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kal?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,000 newborn American boys was named Kal. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.