Cal

“Variant of Calvin — Bald, from a Norman French nickname” — Norman French, via Latin origin

Boy's name · #543 in the US (2025) · Trending

Cal is climbing: on the charts since 1880, it is ranked #543 in 2025, with about 550 boys given the name last year. Roughly 7,900 have carried it all-time. In Utah it runs about 5× its national rate.

Around the world: about 1 in 2,800 boys in N. Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 4,000 boys in Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 6,500 boys in Scotland (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 31 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Cals

Cal Crutchlow — British motorcycle racer
Cal Ripken Jr. — American retired baseball player (born 1960)
Cal Clutterbuck — Canadian ice hockey player
Cal Tjader — American vibraphonist (1925–1982)
Cal Newport — American computer scientist, academic lecturer and writer

In stories & tradition

Cal Kestis — Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order · Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Cal Omas — Star Wars Legends
Cal Lightman — Lie to Me

What Cals become

Among 205 notable people named Cal:

Sports figures appear 2.7× more often than among typical names — e.g. Cal Crutchlow, British motorcycle racer.

Similar names: Kal · Montgomery · Cam · Pierce · Kit · Calum

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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