Cal
A short form of names beginning with the same sound, chiefly Calvin, from a French surname based on Latin calvus, bald, and the biblical Caleb.
Cal in 2025
Cal was given to 554 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 1,097th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 5,984 babies born.
The history of Cal
Cal reached its highest point in 2025, when 554 babies were given the name, ranking 1,097th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 761st, in 1880.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 7,868 babies have been named Cal. Half of them were born before 2004, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Cal by decade
| Decade | Babies named Cal | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 104 | 761 |
| 1890s | 87 | 1,276 |
| 1900s | 59 | 1,841 |
| 1910s | 176 | 2,415 |
| 1920s | 249 | 2,638 |
| 1930s | 215 | 2,648 |
| 1940s | 309 | 2,216 |
| 1950s | 548 | 1,964 |
| 1960s | 458 | 2,191 |
| 1970s | 288 | 3,384 |
| 1980s | 333 | 3,569 |
| 1990s | 689 | 2,501 |
| 2000s | 903 | 3,220 |
| 2010s | 1,273 | 2,506 |
| 2020s | 2,177 | 1,097 |
Where Cal is heading
Cal has risen 285% over the past decade, from 144 babies in 2015 to 554 in 2025.
Names like Cal
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Cal.