Caleb
Hebrew Kalev, read either as “dog” or from a root for “whole-hearted.”
Popularity, 1880–2025
Caleb appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 1989 to 2025. Its biggest year was 2002, when 11,665 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 35 nationally. Its best ranking came in 2009, at No. 31. In 2025 it ranked No. 58 for boys. All told, 325,003 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Kaleb (86,851), Kayleb (2,432), Kalob (1,677), Kalib (1,545), Cayleb (1,036), Kaileb (788) (total births since 1880)
Explore Caleb interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 182 | No. 325 |
| 1890s | 89 | No. 592 |
| 1900s | 106 | No. 640 |
| 1910s | 317 | No. 782 |
| 1920s | 416 | No. 900 |
| 1930s | 316 | No. 1004 |
| 1940s | 312 | No. 1093 |
| 1950s | 416 | No. 1026 |
| 1960s | 518 | No. 873 |
| 1970s | 4,012 | No. 247 |
| 1980s | 20,644 | No. 91 |
| 1990s | 66,298 | No. 41 |
| 2000s | 110,087 | No. 31 |
| 2010s | 86,734 | No. 32 |
| 2020s | 33,903 | No. 49 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.