Kali
Girl name · #323 in 2025 · Uniqueness 57/100
Kali is currently the #323 girl name in the United States — 948 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #267, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,899 girls born in 2025 was named Kali.
Babies named Kali per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 68-year story
Kali first appears in the Social Security records in 1957, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 1,312 girls were named Kali — good for #241 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 Kali against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kali in class?
Kali scores 57 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kali is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kali is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kalis were TX (91), CA (69), FL (69), NY (58), GA (56). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kali
Statistically, parents drawn to Kali tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Cali, Demi, Charli, Kori, and Zuri.
CaliDemiCharliKoriZuriAmariKalaniKai
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kali | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 948 | #323 |
| 2024 | 1,073 | #295 |
| 2023 | 1,072 | #290 |
| 2022 | 1,228 | #250 |
| 2021 | 1,123 | #284 |
| 2020 | 1,181 | #253 |
| 2019 | 1,312 | #241 |
| 2018 | 1,208 | #274 |
| 2017 | 1,089 | #302 |
| 2016 | 1,086 | #300 |
| 2015 | 1,187 | #267 |
| 2014 | 1,260 | #261 |
| 2013 | 872 | #363 |
| 2012 | 748 | #420 |
| 2011 | 602 | #493 |
| 2010 | 545 | #537 |
| 2009 | 602 | #501 |
| 2008 | 618 | #504 |
| 2007 | 668 | #486 |
| 2006 | 549 | #541 |
| 2005 | 554 | #526 |
| 2004 | 527 | #543 |
| 2003 | 494 | #562 |
| 2002 | 495 | #552 |
| 2001 | 592 | #469 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kali a popular girl name?
Kali ranked #323 among girls in 2025 with 948 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #267.
When was the name Kali most popular?
Kali peaked in 2019, when 1,312 American girls received the name (ranked #241 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kali?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,899 newborn American girls was named Kali. It scores 57/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify 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.