Total births
324,350
Boys' name · since 1880
Caleb
324,350 babies named Caleb in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 2002. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #49
- among boys today
- 324,350
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.7%
- more common than other boys
324,350 babies have been named Caleb since 1880, making it today's #49 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Caleb recorded 324,350 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #49 nationally today, ahead of 99.7% 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 1880 to 2025.
- #49 among boys today
- 324,350 born since 1880
- 2000s peak decade
- 99.7% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Caleb is currently the #49 boys' name in America, more common than 99.7% of boys - 324,350 born since 1880, peaking in the 2000s.
- #49
- among boys today
- 324,350
- born since 1880
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 99.7%
- more common than other boys
Caleb vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#49
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.7% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Caleb was born in this single decade.
2002
Single peak year
11,665 babies were named Caleb in 2002 - its busiest year on record.
How Caleb compares
324,350 Top 1% higher than 99% 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
Caleb's all-time total is 884x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Caleb | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 324,350 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 11,665 | 23 | 22,252 |
Caleb's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Caleb's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 99% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 1%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1894, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 2002 peak of 11,665, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Caleb at a glance
Top 100 boys' namePeak year
2002
Current rank
#49
Active since
1880
Caleb popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2002)
- 11,665
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Caleb popularity over time - girls
653 total births recorded since 1980 (Caleb as girls' name)
Caleb by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Caleb's strongest decade.
110,087 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Caleb births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 182
1880s
182 births
- 1890s 89
1890s
89 births
- 1900s 106
1900s
106 births
- 1910s 317
1910s
317 births
- 1920s 416
1920s
416 births
- 1930s 316
1930s
316 births
- 1940s 312
1940s
312 births
- 1950s 416
1950s
416 births
- 1960s 518
1960s
518 births
- 1970s 4,012
1970s
4,012 births
- 1980s 20,644
1980s
20,644 births
- 1990s
1990s
66,298 births
- 2000s
2000s
110,087 births
- 2010s
2010s
86,734 births
- 2020s 33,903
2020s
33,903 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 110,087 births (34% of all-time use).
How Caleb 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 Caleb's total volume
Caleb vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Caleb by state
Where Caleb concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 30,841 | 9.5% |
| #2 | California | | 27,004 | 8.3% |
| #3 | Florida | | 16,625 | 5.1% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 14,087 | 4.3% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 12,971 | 4.0% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 12,565 | 3.9% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 11,219 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 11,212 | 3.5% |
Texas share of Caleb's total US births 9.5%
Even split
30,841 of 324,350 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Caleb appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Caleb? ▼
Caleb has been given to 324,350 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #49 as of the latest data. 11,665 babies were born in 2002, its single highest year.
When was Caleb most popular? ▼
Caleb was most popular in the 2000s decade with 110,087 total births. The single peak year was 2002.
Where is Caleb most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Caleb are Texas (30,841 births), California (27,004 births), Florida (16,625 births).
How long has the name Caleb been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Caleb since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Caleb? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Calvin, Callum, Callan, Callen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Caleb's data
- Caleb's decade-level peak was the 2000s (110,087 total births); usage has since declined to 33,903 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Calebs (30,841 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 Caleb
Nearby Names Like Caleb
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Caleb
Calvin Boy
#140 221,064 births
Callum Boy
#158 16,051 births
Callan Boy
#242 11,164 births
Callen Boy
#481 9,501 births
Cale Boy
#3231 8,207 births
Compare Caleb side by side: Caleb vs Calvin Caleb vs Callum Caleb vs Callan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Caleb
Grayson #48
128,994 births · Peak 2017
Cooper #50
123,702 births · Peak 2025
Aiden #47
257,765 births · Peak 2009
Charles #51
2,434,659 births · Peak 1947
Carter #46
206,833 births · Peak 2015
Roman #52
104,653 births · Peak 2025
Logan #45
387,999 births · Peak 2007
Josiah #53
148,958 births · Peak 2017
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Caleb: #49 Boys' Name - 324,350 Births, Peak 2002." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/caleb. 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 Caleb 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.