Total births
437
Boys' name · since 1977
Calem
Calem has 437 recorded births since 1977 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2009 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #7390
- among boys today
- 437
- born since 1977
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 48%
- more common than other boys
Calem currently ranks #7390 among boys' names in America, with 437 babies recorded since 1977.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Calem has been recorded 437 times among boys since 1977, currently ranked #7390 nationally and more common than 48% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1977 to 2025.
- #7390 among boys today
- 437 born since 1977
- 2010s peak decade
- 48% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Calem is currently the #7390 boys' name in America, more common than 48% of boys - 437 born since 1977, peaking in the 2010s.
- #7390
- among boys today
- 437
- born since 1977
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 48%
- more common than other boys
Calem vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7390
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 48% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Calem was born in this single decade.
2009
Single peak year
21 babies were named Calem in 2009 - its busiest year on record.
How Calem compares
437 Top 46% higher than 54% 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
Calem's all-time total is 19% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Calem | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 437 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 21 | 23 | 22,252 |
Calem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Calem's SSA record in two at 2006 and the more recent half accounts for 62% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 38%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1977, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2009 peak of 21, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Calem at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2009
Current rank
#7,390
Active since
1977
Calem popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1977–2025
- Peak year (2009)
- 21
- Annual births at peak, across 49 years of records
Calem by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Calem's strongest decade.
139 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Calem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 22
1980s
22 births
- 1990s
1990s
65 births
- 2000s
2000s
128 births
- 2010s
2010s
139 births
- 2020s
2020s
78 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 139 births (32% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Calem? ▼
437 babies have been named Calem since 1977. It currently ranks #7390 among boys. The peak year was 2009 with 21 births.
When was Calem most popular? ▼
Calem was most popular in the 2010s decade with 139 total births. The single peak year was 2009.
How long has the name Calem been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Calem since 1977 -- 49 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Calem? ▼
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 Calem's data
- Calem's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (139 total births) through the 2020s (78) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Calem
Nearby Names Like Calem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Calem
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 Calem side by side: Calem vs Caleb Calem vs Calvin Calem vs Callum
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Calem
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, 1977–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Calem: #7390 Boys' Name - 437 Births, Peak 2009." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/calem. 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 Calem 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.