Boy nameCurrently #49 in the USFalling
Caleb
KAY-lub//ˈkeɪləb//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20025 lettersStarts with C
Meaning & origin
Faithful, whole-hearted, or dog
Caleb comes from the Hebrew 'kalev', often explained as meaning 'faithful' or 'wholehearted devotion', though it is also related to the word for dog, a symbol of loyalty. In the Bible he is one of only two spies who trusted God's promise about the Promised Land, and the name has been consistently popular for decades.
Caleb's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Caleb |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 27 |
| 1881 | 18 |
| 1882 | 25 |
| 1883 | 16 |
| 1884 | 17 |
| 1885 | 16 |
| 1886 | 14 |
| 1887 | 13 |
| 1888 | 17 |
| 1889 | 19 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1892 | 11 |
| 1893 | 11 |
| 1894 | 6 |
| 1895 | 10 |
| 1896 | 13 |
| 1897 | 9 |
| 1898 | 7 |
| 1899 | 7 |
| 1900 | 11 |
| 1901 | 8 |
| 1902 | 11 |
| 1903 | 11 |
| 1904 | 10 |
| 1905 | 9 |
| 1906 | 14 |
| 1907 | 10 |
| 1908 | 8 |
| 1909 | 14 |
| 1910 | 15 |
| 1911 | 15 |
| 1912 | 20 |
| 1913 | 24 |
| 1914 | 36 |
| 1915 | 39 |
| 1916 | 39 |
| 1917 | 46 |
| 1918 | 49 |
| 1919 | 34 |
| 1920 | 52 |
| 1921 | 38 |
| 1922 | 52 |
| 1923 | 37 |
| 1924 | 44 |
| 1925 | 56 |
| 1926 | 39 |
| 1927 | 43 |
| 1928 | 26 |
| 1929 | 29 |
| 1930 | 21 |
| 1931 | 25 |
| 1932 | 43 |
| 1933 | 37 |
| 1934 | 39 |
| 1935 | 28 |
| 1936 | 29 |
| 1937 | 27 |
| 1938 | 37 |
| 1939 | 30 |
| 1940 | 30 |
| 1941 | 33 |
| 1942 | 28 |
| 1943 | 32 |
| 1944 | 25 |
| 1945 | 19 |
| 1946 | 32 |
| 1947 | 44 |
| 1948 | 38 |
| 1949 | 31 |
| 1950 | 36 |
| 1951 | 39 |
| 1952 | 39 |
| 1953 | 36 |
| 1954 | 33 |
| 1955 | 40 |
| 1956 | 49 |
| 1957 | 45 |
| 1958 | 55 |
| 1959 | 45 |
| 1960 | 50 |
| 1961 | 39 |
| 1962 | 46 |
| 1963 | 47 |
| 1964 | 58 |
| 1965 | 41 |
| 1966 | 63 |
| 1967 | 36 |
| 1968 | 61 |
| 1969 | 77 |
| 1970 | 94 |
| 1971 | 104 |
| 1972 | 114 |
| 1973 | 185 |
| 1974 | 301 |
| 1975 | 415 |
| 1976 | 525 |
| 1977 | 712 |
| 1978 | 703 |
| 1979 | 860 |
| 1980 | 988 |
| 1981 | 1,435 |
| 1982 | 1,593 |
| 1983 | 1,728 |
| 1984 | 1,668 |
| 1985 | 2,096 |
| 1986 | 2,110 |
| 1987 | 2,519 |
| 1988 | 2,831 |
| 1989 | 3,803 |
| 1990 | 4,165 |
| 1991 | 4,876 |
| 1992 | 5,053 |
| 1993 | 5,804 |
| 1994 | 6,173 |
| 1995 | 6,668 |
| 1996 | 7,566 |
| 1997 | 7,786 |
| 1998 | 9,051 |
| 1999 | 9,303 |
| 2000 | 9,885 |
| 2001 | 11,204 |
| 2002 | 11,684 |
| 2003 | 11,665 |
| 2004 | 11,365 |
| 2005 | 10,919 |
| 2006 | 11,011 |
| 2007 | 10,964 |
| 2008 | 10,587 |
| 2009 | 11,012 |
| 2010 | 10,502 |
| 2011 | 10,048 |
| 2012 | 9,990 |
| 2013 | 9,628 |
| 2014 | 9,257 |
| 2015 | 8,834 |
| 2016 | 7,987 |
| 2017 | 7,161 |
| 2018 | 6,999 |
| 2019 | 6,427 |
| 2020 | 5,618 |
| 2021 | 5,970 |
| 2022 | 5,784 |
| 2023 | 5,529 |
| 2024 | 5,775 |
Caleb through the decades
- Caleb peaked in 2002, when 11,684 babies were named Caleb in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Caleb has fallen 36% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Caleb currently ranks #49 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Cal
Variants & spellings
Kaleb