Calcifer
A name inspired by calx (Latin for "lime") and fero ("to bear"), suggesting a connection to fire or burning.
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the first name Calcifer. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Calcifer today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calcifer births was 2023 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calcifer. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
116
~ 1 in 2,954,779 Americans
Peak year
2023
22 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,714
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Calcifer: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calcifer from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 81 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calcifer by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Calcifer during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Calcifer
The given name Calcifer is a relatively modern invention, likely derived from the combination of the Latin words "calx" meaning "lime" or "chalk," and "fero" meaning "to bear" or "to carry." This name does not have a long historical lineage or cultural origin in any specific language or region.
One of the earliest known references to the name Calcifer can be found in the 2004 animated fantasy film "Howl's Moving Castle" by Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. In the film, Calcifer is the name of a sarcastic and temperamental fire demon who powers the titular moving castle. While the name was created for this fictional character, it has since gained some popularity as a unique and whimsical name choice, particularly among fans of the film or those drawn to its fantastical nature.
There are no known historical figures or prominent individuals from ancient times who bore the name Calcifer. However, in more recent years, a few notable people have adopted or been given this unusual name.
Calcifer Macquaire (born 1987) is a French artist and illustrator known for his surreal and imaginative works. He often incorporates elements of fantasy and mythology into his art, which may have influenced his choice of this distinctive first name.
Calcifer Hawkins (born 1993) is a British rock musician and songwriter. He is the lead singer and guitarist of the band "The Ember Collective," whose music draws inspiration from various fantasy and folklore themes, potentially reflecting the meaning behind his unconventional first name.
Calcifer Everett (born 2001) is an American child actor who has appeared in several television shows and films. His unique name has garnered attention and may have contributed to his recognition in the entertainment industry at a young age.
Calcifer Beaumont (born 1988) is a Canadian author and poet who writes in the genres of speculative fiction and magical realism. The whimsical nature of her name aligns with the imaginative and fantastical elements often present in her literary works.
Calcifer Rosenberg (1962-2021) was a German environmentalist and advocate for sustainable living. While the origin of his name is unknown, it may have been chosen to represent his passion for preserving the natural world, with the connection to fire and earth elements.
It is important to note that due to the relatively recent origin and uncommon usage of the name Calcifer, there may be limited historical records or documented references beyond the examples provided.
People
Calcifer + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calcifer as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Calcifer: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calcifer?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 116 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calcifer going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,954,779 US residents.
Is Calcifer a common name?
We classify Calcifer as "Very Rare". It ranks above 66.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 117 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Calcifer most popular?
The single biggest year for Calcifer was 2023, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calcifer is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Calcifer in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Calcifer a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Calcifer in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Calcifer still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Calcifer in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Calcifer can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Calcifer as a first name?
Find out how many people share the name Calcifer on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.