Cal Boy

Popularity: #559 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: kal //kæl//

Origin: Latin; English

Meaning: Latin: 'bald'; English: diminutive of names like Calvin or Callum

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Cal is derived from the Latin name "Callus," which means "bald" or "hairless." This Latin term evolved through various forms, including the Old French "Cal" and Middle English adaptations, before entering modern English usage. The name is often considered a diminutive of names such as Calvin or Caleb, both of which have distinct etymological roots.

Calvin, for instance, comes from the Latin "Calvinus," meaning "little bald one," while Caleb has Hebrew origins, meaning "faithful" or "devotion." The transition into English reflects a broader trend of adopting and adapting names from Latin and French during the medieval period, particularly as the Norman Conquest in the 11th century facilitated the integration of Norman French into the English language. Historically, the name Cal has connections to notable figures, including John Calvin, a prominent theologian of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century.

Calvin's influence on Christian thought and practice has made the name Calvin significant in religious contexts, which in turn has contributed to the use of its diminutive, Cal, in various cultures. Additionally, the name Caleb appears in the Hebrew Bible as one of the spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan, further embedding the name within a rich historical and religious narrative that spans centuries.

Culturally, the name Cal carries connotations of strength and loyalty, particularly through its association with biblical figures like Caleb, who is often celebrated for his faith and courage. The simplicity and brevity of the name Cal lend it a timeless quality, making it resonate across different eras and cultures.

This enduring appeal is reflected in its use in literature and popular culture, where characters named Cal often embody traits of resilience and integrity.

Famous people named Cal

In this section, you will find notable people named Cal. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Cal who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Cal who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Cal Ripken Jr. is a former professional baseball player best known for his time with the Baltimore Orioles, his consecutive games played streak, and his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Fictional characters named Cal

The following list of fictional characters named Cal is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Cal is a fictional character from the video game series Final Fantasy. He is a prominent character in Final Fantasy XV, serving as a member of the main protagonist's entourage.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Cal, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Cal. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Cal was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Cal has ranked as high as #960 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Utah.

In the past 5 years the name Cal has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Cal is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Cal was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Cal (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 41
12%
TX 36
10%
UT 33
9%
WI 21
6%
NY 18
5%
MN 16
5%
MI 15
4%
OR 13
4%
FL 13
4%
IL 13
4%
NE 13
4%
WA 13
4%
IA 12
3%
AZ 12
3%
OH 11
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Cal.

YearBirths
2024408
2023373
2022343
2021263
2020235
2019166
2018150
2017159
2016160
2015144
2014129
201399
201290
201188
201088
200994
200890
2007100
200685
200590
200484
200388
200295
200189
200088
199969
199872
199793
1996112
199584
199447
199352
199268
199151
199041
198933
198837
198723
198636
198536
198443
198332
198228
198133
198032
197924
197820
197731
197634
197531
197428
197325
197234
197124
197037
196926
196841
196731
196643
196533
196453
196367
196251
196148
196065
195960
195861
195778
195671
195547
195449
195349
195242
195147
195034
194933
194850
194744
194627
194526
194429
194328
194226
194125
194021
193922
193817
193721
193625
193523
193423
193321
193223
193121
193019
192915
192819
192726
192630
192521
192432
192331
192223
192130
192022
191919
191829
191729
191611
191526
191420
191317
19127
19118
191010
19095
19085
19076
190611
19058
19036
19028
190010
18988
18979
18966
189512
18949
189311
189210
18919
189013
188913
18889
18875
18867
18855
18846
188314
188216
188110
188019