Calder

Calder - A very unique male name

Calder appeared on the charts for the first time in 1988 on position #2420. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Calder and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Calder? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Calder. The baby boy name Calder was given to 30 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2094 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 48,876 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Calder peaked in popularity 10 years ago in 2016 on position 1517.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Calder, 1-5?

Calder is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Calder is currently topping the baby name charts in Utah at position #717 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,246.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Calder is where you live.

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Calder origin and meaning

Scottish and English surname

Transferred surname, from place names in Scotland and northern England usually read as 'stony stream' or 'rough water'

Calder is a river and place name across Scotland and Yorkshire that became a surname and, recently, a first name in the US. It fits the current taste for outdoorsy surname names like Bridger and Wilder. Use is small but has been building.

Attested etymology

Calder is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Calder, pop culture references for the name Calder and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Calder

We've found the following names that sound similar to Calder, sorted by popularity.

Colter / Coulter / Coltrane / Cleother /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Calder

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Calder a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Calder?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KAHL-dur · /ˈkɑldər/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Cal

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

SurnameNature

Why parents choose it

Calder is chosen for a rugged, landscape feel with a surname's polish.

Worth knowing

• The best-known Calder is sculptor Alexander Calder, who held it as a surname