Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Calem isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1977. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Calem through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 437
- 437 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2009
- 21 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #6,873 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +33%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,873 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 33.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 21 in 2009. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 352 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Calem’s family of names
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Calem, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kaelen
“a mighty warrior”
90% boys · 10% girls
Camdon
“of the enclosed valley” · “from the winding valley”
>99% boys
Carrson
>99% boys
Kahden
>99% boys
Cadon
>99% boys
Candan
“a sincere man”
>99% boys
Cadian
“rhythmic and melodious; a musical woman” · “rhythmic and melodious; a musical man”
>99% boys
Carper
Carper is a surname.
>99% boys