Cal
- Last seen for girls in 1955 at #5,828
- #542 for boys in 2025, 554 births
- Given to boys 99.9% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 1880 · 19 births
- Debut · boys
- 19 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 7,858since 1880
Cal over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Cal has never cracked the top 300 here.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #542 | 554 | |
| 2024 | — | #670 | 409 | |
| 2023 | — | #711 | 373 | |
| 2022 | — | #748 | 343 | |
| 2021 | — | #879 | 263 | |
| 2020 | — | #935 | 235 | |
| 2019 | — | #1,167 | 166 | |
| 2018 | — | #1,234 | 150 | |
| 2017 | — | #1,175 | 159 | |
| 2016 | — | #1,183 | 160 | |
| 2015 | — | #1,252 | 144 | |
| 2014 | — | #1,340 | 129 | |
| 2013 | — | #1,568 | 99 | |
| 2012 | — | #1,687 | 90 | |
| 2011 | — | #1,687 | 88 | |
| 2010 | — | #1,725 | 88 | |
| 2009 | — | #1,665 | 94 | |
| 2008 | — | #1,692 | 90 | |
| 2007 | — | #1,562 | 100 | |
| 2006 | — | #1,669 | 85 | |
| 2005 | — | #1,554 | 90 | |
| 2004 | — | #1,565 | 84 | |
| 2003 | — | #1,478 | 88 | |
| 2002 | — | #1,384 | 95 | |
| 2001 | — | #1,400 | 89 | |
| 2000 | — | #1,408 | 88 | |
| 1999 | — | #1,580 | 69 | |
| 1998 | — | #1,515 | 72 | |
| 1997 | — | #1,242 | 93 | |
| 1996 | — | #1,079 | 112 | |
| 1995 | — | #1,275 | 84 | |
| 1994 | — | #1,822 | 47 | |
| 1993 | — | #1,680 | 52 | |
| 1992 | — | #1,371 | 68 | |
| 1991 | — | #1,632 | 51 | |
| 1990 | — | #1,870 | 41 | |
| 1989 | — | #2,106 | 33 | |
| 1988 | — | #1,815 | 37 | |
| 1987 | — | #2,400 | 23 | |
| 1986 | — | #1,725 | 36 | |
| 1985 | — | #1,698 | 36 | |
| 1984 | — | #1,458 | 43 | |
| 1983 | — | #1,748 | 32 | |
| 1982 | — | #1,929 | 28 | |
| 1981 | — | #1,726 | 33 | |
| 1980 | — | #1,765 | 32 | |
| 1979 | — | #2,104 | 24 | |
| 1978 | — | #2,279 | 20 | |
| 1977 | — | #1,707 | 31 | |
| 1976 | — | #1,572 | 34 | |
| 1975 | — | #1,630 | 31 | |
| 1974 | — | #1,692 | 28 | |
| 1973 | — | #1,782 | 25 | |
| 1972 | — | #1,453 | 34 | |
| 1971 | — | #1,823 | 24 | |
| 1970 | — | #1,374 | 37 | |
| 1969 | — | #1,605 | 26 | |
| 1968 | — | #1,183 | 41 | |
| 1967 | — | #1,364 | 31 | |
| 1966 | — | #1,131 | 43 | |
| 1965 | — | #1,335 | 33 | |
| 1964 | — | #1,035 | 53 | |
| 1963 | — | #911 | 67 | |
| 1962 | — | #1,069 | 51 | |
| 1961 | — | #1,136 | 48 | |
| 1960 | — | #940 | 65 | |
| 1959 | — | #993 | 60 | |
| 1958 | — | #969 | 61 | |
| 1957 | — | #849 | 78 | |
| 1956 | — | #889 | 71 | |
| 1955 | #5,828 | 5 | #1,091 | 47 |
| 1954 | #5,753 | 5 | #1,068 | 49 |
| 1953 | — | #1,033 | 49 | |
| 1952 | — | #1,136 | 42 | |
| 1951 | — | #1,040 | 47 | |
| 1950 | — | #1,232 | 34 | |
| 1949 | — | #1,252 | 33 | |
| 1948 | — | #989 | 50 | |
| 1947 | — | #1,093 | 44 | |
| 1946 | — | #1,355 | 27 | |
| 1945 | — | #1,296 | 26 | |
| 1944 | — | #1,235 | 29 | |
| 1943 | — | #1,308 | 28 | |
| 1942 | — | #1,358 | 26 | |
| 1941 | — | #1,333 | 25 | |
| 1940 | — | #1,471 | 21 | |
| 1939 | — | #1,425 | 22 | |
| 1938 | — | #1,689 | 17 | |
| 1937 | — | #1,481 | 21 | |
| 1936 | — | #1,326 | 25 | |
| 1935 | — | #1,422 | 23 | |
| 1934 | — | #1,425 | 23 | |
| 1933 | — | #1,498 | 21 | |
| 1932 | — | #1,465 | 23 | |
| 1931 | — | #1,538 | 21 | |
| 1930 | — | #1,693 | 19 | |
| 1929 | — | #2,002 | 15 | |
| 1928 | — | #1,760 | 19 | |
| 1927 | — | #1,468 | 26 | |
| 1926 | — | #1,331 | 30 | |
| 1925 | — | #1,679 | 21 | |
| 1924 | — | #1,287 | 32 | |
| 1923 | — | #1,300 | 31 | |
| 1922 | — | #1,591 | 23 | |
| 1921 | — | #1,360 | 30 | |
| 1920 | — | #1,642 | 22 | |
| 1919 | — | #1,752 | 19 | |
| 1918 | — | #1,313 | 29 | |
| 1917 | — | #1,264 | 29 | |
| 1916 | — | #2,389 | 11 | |
| 1915 | — | #1,306 | 26 | |
| 1914 | — | #1,342 | 20 | |
| 1913 | — | #1,256 | 17 | |
| 1912 | — | #2,045 | 7 | |
| 1911 | — | #1,290 | 8 | |
| 1910 | — | #1,045 | 10 | |
| 1909 | — | #1,440 | 5 | |
| 1908 | — | #1,373 | 5 | |
| 1907 | — | #1,200 | 6 | |
| 1906 | — | #752 | 11 | |
| 1905 | — | #919 | 8 | |
| 1904 | — | — | ||
| 1903 | — | #1,009 | 6 | |
| 1902 | — | #862 | 8 | |
| 1901 | — | — | ||
| 1900 | — | #836 | 10 | |
| 1899 | — | — | ||
| 1898 | — | #804 | 8 | |
| 1897 | — | #725 | 9 | |
| 1896 | — | #982 | 6 | |
| 1895 | — | #609 | 12 | |
| 1894 | — | #730 | 9 | |
| 1893 | — | #615 | 11 | |
| 1892 | — | #688 | 10 | |
| 1891 | — | #635 | 9 | |
| 1890 | — | #533 | 13 | |
| 1889 | — | #525 | 13 | |
| 1888 | — | #704 | 9 | |
| 1887 | — | #921 | 5 | |
| 1886 | — | #758 | 7 | |
| 1885 | — | #936 | 5 | |
| 1884 | — | #848 | 6 | |
| 1883 | — | #479 | 14 | |
| 1882 | — | #453 | 16 | |
| 1881 | — | #563 | 10 | |
| 1880 | — | #392 | 19 | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Cal was already there! It came in at #392, and was given to 19 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1899, when fewer than 5 boys a year got the name.
Where Cal is popular in 2025
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- Wyoming#89 · 1 in 218
- Utah#158 · 1 in 578
- North Dakota#191 · 1 in 559
- Iowa#191 · 1 in 659
- Idaho#214 · 1 in 719
Best ever in a state: #89 in Wyoming, 2025.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | #89 | 5 | 1 in 218 |
| Utah | #158 | 34 | 1 in 578 |
| Iowa | #191 | 21 | 1 in 659 |
| North Dakota | #191 | 6 | 1 in 559 |
| Idaho | #214 | 12 | 1 in 719 |
| Nebraska | #244 | 10 | 1 in 882 |
| Wisconsin | #255 | 23 | 1 in 1,019 |
| Washington | #256 | 29 | 1 in 1,131 |
| Minnesota | #275 | 22 | 1 in 1,114 |
| Massachusetts | #318 | 17 | 1 in 1,589 |
| Kansas | #324 | 11 | 1 in 1,277 |
| Oregon | #326 | 12 | 1 in 1,255 |
| Oklahoma | #328 | 14 | 1 in 1,263 |
| Missouri | #336 | 19 | 1 in 1,464 |
| Illinois | #400 | 27 | 1 in 1,835 |
| Nevada | #443 | 6 | 1 in 1,882 |
| Arizona | #444 | 16 | 1 in 2,045 |
| Indiana | #483 | 14 | 1 in 2,262 |
| Colorado | #501 | 11 | 1 in 2,441 |
| South Carolina | #501 | 9 | 1 in 2,355 |
| California | #543 | 56 | 1 in 3,133 |
| Tennessee | #551 | 13 | 1 in 2,828 |
| Pennsylvania | #631 | 14 | 1 in 3,733 |
| Alabama | #765 | 5 | 1 in 4,304 |
| Michigan | #768 | 9 | 1 in 4,466 |
| Texas | #789 | 34 | 1 in 5,149 |
| Ohio | #801 | 10 | 1 in 5,253 |
| Florida | #809 | 18 | 1 in 5,307 |
| New Jersey | #829 | 7 | 1 in 5,681 |
| Virginia | #875 | 7 | 1 in 5,322 |
| New York | #885 | 15 | 1 in 5,628 |
| Georgia | #919 | 9 | 1 in 5,580 |
| North Carolina | #1,144 | 6 | 1 in 8,578 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Cal
Momentum · boys
Rising
- 393 spots since 2020 (#935 → #542)
- Biggest jump: 257 spots in 1897
- Biggest drop: 448 spots in 1907
Rise & fade · boys
Peaked on debut
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1880 at #392 (19 births)
- Births halved by 1884, 4 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 36 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 36 yrs · run 1880–1898
Share of babies · boys
1 in 3,083
- Highest: 1 in 3,083 boys born in 2025 were named Cal (0.03%)
- Its best rank, #392 in 1880, was only 1 in 5,815 (0.02%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 2020s
- 27.7% of all boys named Cal (2,177) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 104 | #392 (1880) | #658 |
| 1890s | 87 | #533 (1890) | #702 |
| 1900s | 59 | #752 (1906) | #1,049 |
| 1910s | 176 | #1,045 (1910) | #1,500 |
| 1920s | 249 | #1,287 (1924) | #1,542 |
| 1930s | 215 | #1,326 (1936) | #1,496 |
| 1940s | 309 | #989 (1948) | #1,269 |
| 1950s | 538 | #849 (1957) | #1,030 |
| 1960s | 458 | #911 (1963) | #1,171 |
| 1970s | 288 | #1,374 (1970) | #1,742 |
| 1980s | 333 | #1,458 (1984) | #1,837 |
| 1990s | 689 | #1,079 (1996) | #1,507 |
| 2000s | 903 | #1,384 (2002) | #1,538 |
| 2010s | 1,273 | #1,167 (2019) | #1,402 |
| 2020s | 2,177 | #542 (2025) | #748 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Want to check a specific year?
See where Cal ranked and which names it was up against. Click a point on the chart, or pick a year: