Calla Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAL-uh //ˈkæl.ə//
Origin: Greek; Latin
Meaning: Greek: 'beautiful'; Latin: 'calla lily'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Calla has its roots in the Greek word "kallos," meaning "beauty." This etymological origin reflects the name's association with beauty and elegance, which has been a significant aspect of its appeal. The name was introduced into English through the Latin form "calla," which was used in botanical contexts to refer to certain types of flowering plants, notably the calla lily.
The transition into English occurred during the Renaissance when classical influences permeated European culture, leading to the adoption of many Greek and Latin names into the vernacular. Historically, the name Calla has been linked to various cultural and religious contexts.
In the Christian tradition, the calla lily is often associated with purity and holiness, symbolizing the Virgin Mary. This connection has been reinforced through art and literature, particularly during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, when floral symbolism became a prominent theme in religious iconography.
The name itself, while not commonly found in historical texts, has been used in various forms throughout history, reflecting its aesthetic qualities and associations with nature. Culturally, the name Calla resonates with themes of beauty and grace, which have been celebrated in various artistic expressions.
The calla lily, as a flower, has been a subject of admiration in poetry and painting, often representing refined beauty and elegance. This symbolic association has contributed to the name's endurance over time, as it evokes a sense of natural beauty and purity.
While diminutive forms such as Callie have emerged, the name Calla itself retains a strong connection to its original meanings and cultural significance.
Famous people named Calla
In this section, you will find notable people named Calla. 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 Calla who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Calla 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.
Calla Lily is a flower commonly associated with beauty and purity in various cultures.
Calla H. is a musician best known for her work in the indie music scene.
Fictional characters named Calla
The following list of fictional characters named Calla 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.
Calla is a fictional character from the book series Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. She is a strong-willed young woman who is the alpha of her werewolf pack.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Calla, 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 Calla. 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 Calla was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Calla has ranked as high as #1210 nationally, which occurred in 2017, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
In the past 5 years the name Calla has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Calla 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 Calla was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Calla (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 |
|---|---|---|
| NY | 9 | |
| CA | 8 | |
| CO | 7 | |
| TN | 7 | |
| GA | 7 | |
| MN | 7 | |
| TX | 6 | |
| WI | 6 | |
| OH | 5 | |
| CT | 5 | |
| FL | 5 | |
| VA | 5 | |
| IL | 5 | |
| MD | 5 |
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 Calla.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 142 |
| 2023 | 130 |
| 2022 | 135 |
| 2021 | 134 |
| 2020 | 135 |
| 2019 | 111 |
| 2018 | 122 |
| 2017 | 176 |
| 2016 | 164 |
| 2015 | 140 |
| 2014 | 140 |
| 2013 | 139 |
| 2012 | 120 |
| 2011 | 104 |
| 2010 | 134 |
| 2009 | 107 |
| 2008 | 96 |
| 2007 | 92 |
| 2006 | 87 |
| 2005 | 81 |
| 2004 | 71 |
| 2003 | 60 |
| 2002 | 50 |
| 2001 | 69 |
| 2000 | 57 |
| 1999 | 33 |
| 1998 | 35 |
| 1997 | 43 |
| 1996 | 37 |
| 1995 | 44 |
| 1994 | 44 |
| 1993 | 49 |
| 1992 | 57 |
| 1991 | 57 |
| 1990 | 41 |
| 1989 | 46 |
| 1988 | 41 |
| 1987 | 39 |
| 1986 | 56 |
| 1985 | 16 |
| 1984 | 21 |
| 1983 | 14 |
| 1982 | 17 |
| 1981 | 9 |
| 1980 | 7 |
| 1979 | 9 |
| 1978 | 6 |
| 1977 | 9 |
| 1976 | 8 |
| 1974 | 16 |
| 1973 | 8 |
| 1971 | 5 |
| 1970 | 5 |
| 1967 | 6 |
| 1966 | 8 |
| 1965 | 7 |
| 1963 | 8 |
| 1962 | 7 |
| 1961 | 7 |
| 1960 | 8 |
| 1959 | 9 |
| 1958 | 7 |
| 1957 | 8 |
| 1956 | 10 |
| 1955 | 19 |
| 1954 | 19 |
| 1953 | 5 |
| 1952 | 17 |
| 1951 | 5 |
| 1950 | 12 |
| 1949 | 10 |
| 1948 | 5 |
| 1947 | 7 |
| 1946 | 8 |
| 1945 | 7 |
| 1944 | 5 |
| 1943 | 5 |
| 1940 | 5 |
| 1939 | 5 |
| 1938 | 8 |
| 1936 | 5 |
| 1935 | 8 |
| 1933 | 6 |
| 1932 | 11 |
| 1931 | 6 |
| 1930 | 10 |
| 1929 | 10 |
| 1928 | 7 |
| 1927 | 10 |
| 1926 | 6 |
| 1925 | 10 |
| 1924 | 12 |
| 1923 | 10 |
| 1922 | 12 |
| 1921 | 9 |
| 1920 | 14 |
| 1919 | 10 |
| 1918 | 16 |
| 1917 | 8 |
| 1916 | 10 |
| 1915 | 9 |
| 1914 | 10 |
| 1913 | 10 |
| 1912 | 10 |
| 1911 | 9 |
| 1910 | 5 |
| 1908 | 9 |
| 1907 | 6 |
| 1906 | 12 |
| 1905 | 10 |
| 1901 | 7 |
| 1900 | 7 |
| 1899 | 7 |
| 1898 | 9 |
| 1897 | 11 |
| 1896 | 5 |
| 1895 | 11 |
| 1894 | 11 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1892 | 6 |
| 1891 | 5 |
| 1890 | 10 |
| 1888 | 9 |
| 1887 | 9 |
| 1886 | 12 |
| 1885 | 8 |
| 1884 | 10 |
| 1883 | 9 |
| 1882 | 8 |
| 1881 | 8 |
| 1880 | 6 |