Cal is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Cal means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Cal across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Cal has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Cal is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “faithful or bald”. A short form of Calvin or Caleb.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 7,868 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 192 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 146 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 52 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 144 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Cal per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2025 (554/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2003 (14/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2018 (9/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1993 (8/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2006 (5/yr).
Cal is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2025, when it ranked #1,098 nationally (given to 567 babies that year).
Gail · Cole · Gael · Callie · Gale · Cali · Kali · Caylee
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