Boys' name · since 1974
Kalem
Kalem has 965 recorded births since 1974 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2017 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5,253 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #8,405 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 965
- born since 1974
- 2010s
- peak decade
Yes -- Kalem is the #8405 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 965 recorded since 1974.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kalem has been recorded 965 times among boys since 1974, currently ranked #8405 nationally and more common than 40% 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 1974 to 2025.
- #5,253 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #8,405 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 965 born since 1974
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kalem ranks #5,253 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #8,405 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 965 born since 1974, peaking in the 2010s.
- #5,253 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #8,405 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 965
- born since 1974
- 2010s
- peak decade
Kalem's 965 recorded births place it above 88.44% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Kalem compares
965 Top 32% higher than 68% of 13,930 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
Kalem's all-time total is 162% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kalem | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 965 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 38 | 34 | 22,252 |
Kalem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kalem's SSA record in two at 2001 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 1974, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 2017 peak of 38, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kalem popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1974–2025
- Peak year (2017)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 52 years of records
Kalem by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (286 births, 30% of the file).
2010s was Kalem's strongest decade.
286 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Kalem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 39
1970s
39 births
- 1980s
1980s
126 births
- 1990s
1990s
184 births
- 2000s
2000s
209 births
- 2010s
2010s
286 births
- 2020s
2020s
121 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 286 births (30% of all-time use).
How Kalem 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 Kalem's total volume
Kalem by state
Where Kalem concentrates geographically, total births since 1974
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 18 | 1.9% |
| #2 | Texas | | 16 | 1.7% |
| #3 | New York | | 5 | 0.5% |
18 of 965 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Kalem's data
- Kalem's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (286 total births) through the 2020s (121) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Kalems (18 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kalem
Nearby Names Like Kalem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kalem
Compare Kalem side by side: Kalem vs Kaleb Kalem vs Kale Kalem vs Kalvin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kalem
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Kalem: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2017)
Similar record span (~51 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1974–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Kalem 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 August 2026.