Cale

Cale - A very unique male name

Cale appeared on the charts for the first time in 1969 on position #1530. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Cale and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Cale? 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 Cale. The baby boy name Cale was given to 6 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3555 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 244,381 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Cale peaked in popularity 42 years ago in 1984 on position 593.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Cale, 1-5?

Cale is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Cale is currently topping the baby name charts in Colorado at position #775 - and is the least popular in Colorado at position #775.

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 Cale is where you live.

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Cale origin and meaning

English — multiple sources

Uncertain — used both as a short form of Caleb and independently, possibly from the surname Cale; the two uses cannot be cleanly separated

Cale has more than one live source: a clipped Caleb, a transferred surname, and simple modern coinage on a clean one-syllable sound. It first appears in 1969 and peaked in 2008.

Origin uncertain

Cale is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Cale

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

Cole / Cecil / Clay / Cleo / Cal / Cael / Cecilio / Cyle / Cheskel / Coley /

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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 Cale

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 Cale 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 Cale?

1 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

KAYL · /keɪl/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Kale — Spelling variant, also a separate name from the vegetable and Hawaiian form
• Cael — Spelling variant, also an Irish name in its own right

Famous bearers

• Cale Yarborough — NASCAR champion driver, born William Caleb Yarborough and known throughout his career as Cale (1939–2023) Contemporary

Style

Short form

Why parents choose it

Short, clean and outdoorsy, Cale appeals to parents who want Caleb's familiarity without the full biblical name.

Worth knowing

• Identical in sound to the vegetable kale
• Often assumed to be short for Caleb