Total births
264
Girls' name · since 1918
California
264 babies named California in U.S. Social Security records since 1918, with the highest year being 2007. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #15458
- among girls today
- 264
- born since 1918
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other girls
California currently ranks #15458 among girls' names in America, with 264 babies recorded since 1918.
California has 264 recorded births among girls since 1918, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #15458 as of the latest data, more common than 13% of girls, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1918 to 2024.
- #15458 among girls today
- 264 born since 1918
- 2010s peak decade
- 13% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
California is currently the #15458 girls' name in America, more common than 13% of girls - 264 born since 1918, peaking in the 2010s.
- #15458
- among girls today
- 264
- born since 1918
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other girls
California vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15458
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 13% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
45% of everyone ever named California was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
16 babies were named California in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
How California compares
264 42th percentile among 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
California's all-time total is 31% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | California | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 264 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 16 | 48 | 19,840 |
California's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
California splits its recorded history at 2011: 55% of all births land in the more recent half, 45% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1919 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2007 peak of 16 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
California at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2007
Current rank
#15,458
Active since
1918
California popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1918–2024
- Peak year (2007)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 107 years of records
California by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was California's strongest decade.
120 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
California births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 11
1910s
11 births
- 1990s 12
1990s
12 births
- 2000s
2000s
86 births
- 2010s
2010s
120 births
- 2020s 35
2020s
35 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 120 births (45% of all-time use).
California by state
Where California concentrates geographically, total births since 1918
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 58 | 22.0% |
California share of California's total US births 22.0%
58 of 264 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name California? ▼
California has been given to 264 babies in the U.S. since 1918, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #15458 as of the latest data. 16 babies were born in 2007, its single highest year.
When was California most popular? ▼
California was most popular in the 2010s decade with 120 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Where is California most popular? ▼
The top states for the name California are California (58 births).
How long has the name California been used? ▼
Records for California go back to 1918, giving 107 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to California? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Callie, Cali, Calista, Calliope, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with California's data
- California's decade-level peak was the 2010s (120 total births); usage has since declined to 35 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Californias (58 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 California
Nearby Names Like California
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to California
Callie Girl
#176 70,190 births
Cali Girl
#493 23,342 births
Calista Girl
#1453 7,504 births
Calliope Girl
#498 6,098 births
Caleigh Girl
#2711 5,768 births
Compare California side by side: California vs Callie California vs Cali California vs Calista
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to California
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, 1918–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "California: #15458 Girls' Name - 264 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/california. 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 California 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.