Given name & surname
Kalle
“a free man”·“having great strength”·“a mighty warrior”
In German use, Kalle has a related form in Karl. One German interpretation is “a free man.” Kalle is a variant of Kalman. One French interpretation is “having great strength.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Kalle has a related form in Karl. One German interpretation is “a free man.” Kalle is a variant of Kalman. One French interpretation is “having great strength.” Kalle is a variant of Kaelan. One interpretation is “a mighty warrior.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In German use, Kalle has a related form in Karl. An origin associated with Karl is German. Kalle is a variant of Kalman. An origin associated with Kalman is French.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Swedish use, Kalle is used as an affectionate form of Karl.
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
Kalle through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 358
- 33 boys · 325 girls
- Most popular year
- 1998
- 39 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 6 in 2015. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 7 in 1997. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 552 as a first name in 2020; 199 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.
Kalle’s family of names
In Swedish usage, Kalle is a diminutive of Karl. Kalle has a related form in Kaelan. Kalle is an affectionate form of Karl.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Kalle has relatives in 6 languages.
10 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Karlfull form · German, Swedish
- Kalmanvariant
- Kaelanvariant
- Kalevfull form · Estonian
- Karlevariant · Norwegian Nynorsk
- Callevariant · Swedish
- Kaarlofull form · Finnish
- Kalludiminutive · Finnish
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Kalle
- Kalle RovanperäFinnish race car driver (born 2000)
- Niilo HalonenFinnish ski jumper (1940–2025)
- Kalle SvenssonSwedish association football player (1925-2000)
- Kalle AnttilaFinnish wrestler (1887–1949)
- Kalle PalanderFinnish alpine skier (born 1977)
- Kalle JalkanenFinnish cross-country skier (1907-1941)
- Kalle KriitEstonian sports cyclist (born 1983)
- Kalle KeituriFinnish ski jumperborn 1984
- Kalle Mikkolainengymnast (1883–1928)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kalle, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kanea
>99% girls
Qadira
“powerful; capable” · “a capable man; one who is competent”
>99% girls
Kialey
>99% girls
Kasea
“a vigilant woman” · “a vigilant man; one who is alert”
>99% girls
Caylene
>99% girls
Kaelah
>99% girls
Carlissia
>99% girls
Kadaisha
>99% girls