Is Cal a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Cal is commonly used as a Boy name.

It’s currently ranked #559 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

Cal Boy

Popularity: #559 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

Pronunciationkal / /kæl/

Latin; English

Meaning

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

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Cal has roots in Latin, where it means 'bald.' It is often used as a diminutive form of longer names such as Calvin or Callum. In English-speaking countries, it has gained popularity as a standalone name. The name is associated with a straightforward and strong character.

Trend Summary

The name Cal has seen fluctuating popularity in the U.S., often peaking in the mid-20th century.

Variants

Calvin
Callum

International Variants

Cal (English)
Kal (Dutch)

Famous people named Cal

Cal Ripken Jr. is a former professional baseball player known for his record-breaking consecutive games played.

Fictional characters named Cal

Cal Kestis is the main character in the video game franchise 'Star Wars Jedi,' known for his journey as a Jedi.

Sibling Suggestions

Cam Cade Cole Cruz Cory

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)

Top States for Cal (2024)

Year:

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

Year	Births
1880	19
1881	10
1882	16
1883	14
1884	6
1885	5
1886	7
1887	5
1888	9
1889	13
1890	13
1891	9
1892	10
1893	11
1894	9
1895	12
1896	6
1897	9
1898	8
1900	10
1902	8
1903	6
1905	8
1906	11
1907	6
1908	5
1909	5
1910	10
1911	8
1912	7
1913	17
1914	20
1915	26
1916	11
1917	29
1918	29
1919	19
1920	22
1921	30
1922	23
1923	31
1924	32
1925	21
1926	30
1927	26
1928	19
1929	15
1930	19
1931	21
1932	23
1933	21
1934	23
1935	23
1936	25
1937	21
1938	17
1939	22
1940	21
1941	25
1942	26
1943	28
1944	29
1945	26
1946	27
1947	44
1948	50
1949	33
1950	34
1951	47
1952	42
1953	49
1954	49
1955	47
1956	71
1957	78
1958	61
1959	60
1960	65
1961	48
1962	51
1963	67
1964	53
1965	33
1966	43
1967	31
1968	41
1969	26
1970	37
1971	24
1972	34
1973	25
1974	28
1975	31
1976	34
1977	31
1978	20
1979	24
1980	32
1981	33
1982	28
1983	32
1984	43
1985	36
1986	36
1987	23
1988	37
1989	33
1990	41
1991	51
1992	68
1993	52
1994	47
1995	84
1996	112
1997	93
1998	72
1999	69
2000	88
2001	89
2002	95
2003	88
2004	84
2005	90
2006	85
2007	100
2008	90
2009	94
2010	88
2011	88
2012	90
2013	99
2014	129
2015	144
2016	160
2017	159
2018	150
2019	166
2020	235
2021	263
2022	343
2023	373
2024	408