Caleb
From the Hebrew Kalev, traditionally explained as dog and sometimes as whole-hearted. In the Torah he is one of two scouts who trusted the report on Canaan.
Caleb in 2025
Caleb was given to 5,217 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 100th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 635 babies born.
The history of Caleb
Caleb reached its highest point in 2002, when 11,684 babies were given the name, ranking 53rd that year. Its best-ever ranking was 42nd, in 2012.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 325,003 babies have been named Caleb. Half of them were born before 2006, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Caleb by decade
| Decade | Babies named Caleb | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 182 | 626 |
| 1890s | 89 | 1,462 |
| 1900s | 106 | 1,602 |
| 1910s | 317 | 1,845 |
| 1920s | 416 | 1,832 |
| 1930s | 316 | 1,995 |
| 1940s | 312 | 2,365 |
| 1950s | 416 | 2,356 |
| 1960s | 518 | 2,082 |
| 1970s | 4,012 | 535 |
| 1980s | 20,769 | 176 |
| 1990s | 66,446 | 68 |
| 2000s | 110,303 | 44 |
| 2010s | 86,854 | 42 |
| 2020s | 33,947 | 81 |
Where Caleb is heading
Caleb has fallen 41% over the past decade, from 8,837 babies in 2015 to 5,217 in 2025.
Names like Caleb
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Caleb.