Total births
1,256
Boys' name · since 1947
Kal
1,256 babies named Kal in U.S. Social Security records since 1947, with the highest year being 2021. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #2320
- among boys today
- 1,256
- born since 1947
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Kal is the #2320 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 1,256 recorded since 1947.
Social Security Administration records show Kal recorded 1,256 times among boys since 1947, holding rank #2320 nationally today, ahead of 84% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1947 to 2025.
- #2320 among boys today
- 1,256 born since 1947
- 2010s peak decade
- 84% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kal is currently the #2320 boys' name in America, more common than 84% of boys - 1,256 born since 1947, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2320
- among boys today
- 1,256
- born since 1947
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Kal vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2320
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 84% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Kal was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
72 babies were named Kal in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Kal compares
1,256 Top 27% higher than 73% 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
Kal's all-time total is 3x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kal | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,256 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 72 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kal splits its recorded history at 1990: 78% of all births land in the more recent half, 22% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1947 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2021 peak of 72 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kal at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#2,320
Active since
1947
Kal popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1947–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 72
- Annual births at peak, across 79 years of records
Kal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Kal's strongest decade.
420 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Kal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 11
1940s
11 births
- 1950s 63
1950s
63 births
- 1960s 76
1960s
76 births
- 1970s 53
1970s
53 births
- 1980s 70
1980s
70 births
- 1990s 79
1990s
79 births
- 2000s 116
2000s
116 births
- 2010s
2010s
420 births
- 2020s
2020s
368 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 420 births (33% of all-time use).
How Kal 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 Kal's total volume
Kal vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kal by state
Where Kal concentrates geographically, total births since 1947
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 58 | 4.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 34 | 2.7% |
| #3 | Utah | | 26 | 2.1% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 10 | 0.8% |
| #5 | Florida | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Kal's total US births 4.6%
Even split
58 of 1,256 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Kal appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kal? ▼
Kal has been given to 1,256 babies in the U.S. since 1947, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2320 as of the latest data. 72 babies were born in 2021, its single highest year.
When was Kal most popular? ▼
Kal was most popular in the 2010s decade with 420 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Kal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kal are California (58 births), Texas (34 births), Utah (26 births).
How long has the name Kal been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kal since 1947 -- 79 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kaleb, Kale, Kalvin, Kalen, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kal's data
- Kal's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (420 total births) through the 2020s (368) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Kals (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 Kal
Nearby Names Like Kal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kal
Kaleb Boy
#279 86,649 births
Kale Boy
#5270 7,379 births
Kalvin Boy
#1785 6,726 births
Kalen Boy
#2050 4,629 births
Kalel Boy
#1125 4,400 births
Compare Kal side by side: Kal vs Kaleb Kal vs Kale Kal vs Kalvin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kal
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, 1947–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kal: #2320 Boys' Name - 1,256 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kal. 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 Kal 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.