Kal
Boy name · #2313 in 2025 · Uniqueness 70/100
Kal is currently the #2313 boy name in the United States — 60 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2355, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,000 boys born in 2025 was named Kal.
Babies named Kal per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 78-year story
Kal first appears in the Social Security records in 1947, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 72 boys were named Kal — good for #2040 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kal against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kal in class?
Kal 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 Kal will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kal is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kal is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kals were CA (7), TX (6), UT (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kal
Statistically, parents drawn to Kal tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kato, Klay, Koi, Kaiel, and Klaus.
KatoKlayKoiKaielKlausKamAsielKota
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kal | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2304 |
| 2024 | 61 | #2313 |
| 2023 | 64 | #2221 |
| 2022 | 56 | #2468 |
| 2021 | 72 | #2040 |
| 2020 | 55 | #2392 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2421 |
| 2018 | 56 | #2355 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2345 |
| 2016 | 52 | #2437 |
| 2015 | 55 | #2355 |
| 2014 | 68 | #2063 |
| 2013 | 18 | #4981 |
| 2012 | 30 | #3530 |
| 2011 | 13 | #6256 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5047 |
| 2009 | 13 | #6436 |
| 2008 | 8 | #9019 |
| 2007 | 15 | #5661 |
| 2006 | 12 | #6460 |
| 2005 | 14 | #5578 |
| 2004 | 16 | #5007 |
| 2003 | 14 | #5271 |
| 2002 | 8 | #7643 |
| 2001 | 10 | #6445 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kal a popular boy name?
Kal ranked #2313 among boys in 2025 with 60 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2355.
When was the name Kal most popular?
Kal peaked in 2021, when 72 American boys received the name (ranked #2040 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kal?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,000 newborn American boys was named Kal. 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.