Kal

“A short form — clipped from Kalman, Kalpen, and other Kal- names” — Short form (Kal- names) origin

Boy's name · #2320 in the US (2025) · Trending

Kal is climbing: on the charts since 1947, it is ranked #2320 in 2025, with about 60 boys given the name last year. Roughly 1,300 have carried it all-time. Kal is the less common spelling of Cal — about 10% of babies given the name are written this way; Cal itself ranked #543 in 2025.

Around the world: about 1 in 1,400 boys in Slovenia (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 3 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Kals

Kal Penn — American actor, author, and former White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration
Kal Naga — Egyptian actor
Kal P. Dal — Swedish singer (1949–1985)
Kal Naismith — Scottish association football player (born 1992)
Kal David — blues guitarist, singer and songwriter

In stories & tradition

Kal (Superman) — Action Comics · Superman
Kal (Superboy-Prime) — DC Comics Presents
Kal — The Cave of Skulls · The Forest of Fear

What Kals become

Among 28 notable people named Kal:

Entertainers appear 2.76× more often than among typical names — e.g. Kal Penn, American actor, author, and former White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration.

Similar names: Cal · Winter · Cai · Locke · Kaleo · Cassiel

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

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