Cale
Boy name · #2730 in 2025 · Uniqueness 70/100
Cale is currently the #2730 boy name in the United States — 47 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1279, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 38,298 boys born in 2025 was named Cale.
The 108-year story
Cale first appears in the Social Security records in 1917, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2008, when 395 boys were named Cale — good for #624 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Cale per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cale against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cale in class?
Cale scores 70 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Cale will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cale is most common
State-level data for Cale is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Cale
Statistically, parents drawn to Cale tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Chace, Tye, Elie, Blayne, and Cavan.
ChaceTyeElieBlayneCavanDavinCyChayse
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cale | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | #2718 |
| 2024 | 37 | #3216 |
| 2023 | 31 | #3629 |
| 2022 | 44 | #2873 |
| 2021 | 33 | #3427 |
| 2020 | 41 | #2886 |
| 2019 | 43 | #2851 |
| 2018 | 42 | #2848 |
| 2017 | 58 | #2270 |
| 2016 | 91 | #1706 |
| 2015 | 140 | #1279 |
| 2014 | 175 | #1093 |
| 2013 | 180 | #1054 |
| 2012 | 227 | #909 |
| 2011 | 259 | #833 |
| 2010 | 339 | #691 |
| 2009 | 366 | #669 |
| 2008 | 395 | #624 |
| 2007 | 323 | #714 |
| 2006 | 288 | #741 |
| 2005 | 262 | #758 |
| 2004 | 233 | #778 |
| 2003 | 237 | #754 |
| 2002 | 232 | #746 |
| 2001 | 194 | #837 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cale a popular boy name?
Cale ranked #2730 among boys in 2025 with 47 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1279.
When was the name Cale most popular?
Cale peaked in 2008, when 395 American boys received the name (ranked #624 that year). Since 2008 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cale?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 38,298 newborn American boys was named Cale. It scores 70/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.