Kal
Boy name · #2313 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kal? In official American birth records, Kal has been tracked continuously since 1947, giving it 78 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kal is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Kal is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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
How old is the name Kal?
In official American birth records, the name Kal first appeared in 1947 (over 78 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 78 years.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.