Total births
8,207
Boys' name · since 1917
Cale
Since 1917, U.S. Social Security records show 8,207 babies named Cale, peaking in 2008. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3231
- among boys today
- 8,207
- born since 1917
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Cale is the #3231 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 8,207 recorded since 1917.
Social Security Administration records show Cale recorded 8,207 times among boys since 1917, holding rank #3231 nationally today, ahead of 77% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1917 to 2025.
- #3231 among boys today
- 8,207 born since 1917
- 2000s peak decade
- 77% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Cale is currently the #3231 boys' name in America, more common than 77% of boys - 8,207 born since 1917, peaking in the 2000s.
- #3231
- among boys today
- 8,207
- born since 1917
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other boys
Cale vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3231
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 77% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Cale was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
395 babies were named Cale in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Cale compares
8,207 Top 9% higher than 91% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Cale's all-time total is 22x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Cale | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 8,207 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 395 | 23 | 22,252 |
Cale's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Cale's SSA record in two at 1990 and the more recent half accounts for 72% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 28%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1922, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2008 peak of 395, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Cale at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2008
Current rank
#3,231
Active since
1917
Cale popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1917–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 395
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Cale popularity over time - girls
84 total births recorded since 2006 (Cale as girls' name)
Cale by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Cale's strongest decade.
2,721 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Cale births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 8
1910s
8 births
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1930s 11
1930s
11 births
- 1940s 11
1940s
11 births
- 1950s 27
1950s
27 births
- 1960s 119
1960s
119 births
- 1970s 705
1970s
705 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,390 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,423 births
- 2000s
2000s
2,721 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,554 births
- 2020s 233
2020s
233 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 2,721 births (33% of all-time use).
How Cale compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Cale's total volume
Cale vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Cale by state
Where Cale concentrates geographically, total births since 1917
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 561 | 6.8% |
| #2 | Oklahoma | | 469 | 5.7% |
| #3 | Iowa | | 381 | 4.6% |
| #4 | California | | 362 | 4.4% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 341 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 341 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Kansas | | 299 | 3.6% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 285 | 3.5% |
Texas share of Cale's total US births 6.8%
Even split
561 of 8,207 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 36 reporting states.
Cale appears in 36 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cale? ▼
Cale has been given to 8,207 babies in the U.S. since 1917, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #3231 as of the latest data. 395 babies were born in 2008, its single highest year.
When was Cale most popular? ▼
Cale was most popular in the 2000s decade with 2,721 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Cale most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cale are Texas (561 births), Oklahoma (469 births), Iowa (381 births).
How long has the name Cale been used? ▼
Records for Cale go back to 1917, giving 109 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Cale? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Caleb, Calvin, Callum, Callan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Cale's data
- Cale's decade-level peak was the 2000s (2,721 total births); usage has since declined to 233 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Cales (561 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cale
Nearby Names Like Cale
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cale
Caleb Boy
#49 324,350 births
Calvin Boy
#140 221,064 births
Callum Boy
#158 16,051 births
Callan Boy
#242 11,164 births
Callen Boy
#481 9,501 births
Compare Cale side by side: Cale vs Caleb Cale vs Calvin Cale vs Callum
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Cale
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1917–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cale: #3231 Boys' Name - 8,207 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cale. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cale draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.