Given name & surname
Cal
“the little bald one”·“dove”·“resembling a dove”
Cal is a short form of Calvin. One French interpretation is “the little bald one.” In English use, Cal is a short form of Calum. Interpretations include “dove” (Late Latin) and “resembling a dove”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Cal is a short form of Calvin. One French interpretation is “the little bald one.” In English use, Cal is a short form of Calum. Interpretations include “dove” (Late Latin) and “resembling a dove”. These may reflect different naming traditions. In English use, Cal is a diminutive of Caroline. In Latin use, Caroline carries the interpretation “a joyous song; a small, strong woman.” In English use, Cal is a short form of Caleb. Interpretations include “dog” (Hebrew) and “resembling a dog” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Cal is a short form of Calvin. An origin associated with Calvin is French. In English use, Cal is a short form of Calum. An origin associated with Calum is Late Latin. In English use, Cal is a short form of Caleb. An origin associated with Caleb is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Cal is a short form of Caleb. In English usage, Cal is a diminutive of Caroline.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Cal is a short form of Caleb. The history of Caleb gives this family its wider story. Caleb appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Cal through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,868
- 7,858 boys · 10 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 554 babies
- 2025
- 554
- #543 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +123%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 554 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 543 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 123.2% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (56). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,529 as a first name in 2020; 888 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cal’s family of names
In English usage, Cal is a short form of Caleb. Cal has a related form in Calvin. In English usage, Cal is a diminutive of Caroline.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Cal
- Cal CrutchlowBritish motorcycle racerborn 1985
- Cal Ripken Jr.American retired baseball player (born 1960)
- Cal ClutterbuckCanadian ice hockey playerborn 1987
- Cal NewportAmerican computer scientist, academic lecturer and writerborn 1982
- Cal PetersenAmerican ice hockey playerborn 1994
- Cal Nidayracecar driver1914–1988
- Cal HubbardAmerican football player and coach, baseball umpire (1900–1977)
- Cal StrongAmerican water polo player (1907–2001)
- Cal BowdlerIrish basketball player (born 1977)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Cal, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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