Calea
A Romanian feminine name meaning "way" or "path".
Name Census estimates that about 211 living Americans carry the first name Calea. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Calea today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calea births was 2006 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calea. 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
211
~ 1 in 1,624,428 Americans
Peak year
2006
12 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,397
Tracked since 1992
Popularity
Calea: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calea from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 85 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Calea remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calea 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 Calea 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 Calea
The given name Calea originates from the Romanian language. It is derived from the Latin word "calere," which means "to be warm" or "to glow." The name first appeared in Romania during the medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century.
Calea was initially a feminine name associated with warmth, radiance, and vitality. In ancient Romanian folklore, it was believed that individuals bearing this name possessed a warm and affectionate nature, often described as having a "glowing" personality.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Calea can be found in a 16th-century Romanian chronicle, where it was mentioned as the name of a noblewoman. During this time, the name gained popularity among the Romanian aristocracy and upper class.
Historically, the name Calea has been associated with several notable figures. One of the earliest known individuals bearing this name was Calea Basarab (c. 1480-1550), a Romanian noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the cultural and religious life of her time.
Another prominent figure was Calea Callimachi (1510-1575), a Romanian princess and patron of the arts. She is remembered for her contributions to the development of Romanian literature and her support of cultural initiatives.
In the 18th century, Calea Ghica (1720-1786) was a Romanian noblewoman and philanthropist known for her charitable work and support of educational institutions.
Moving into the 19th century, Calea Văcărescu (1810-1892) was a Romanian poet and writer who made significant contributions to the development of Romanian literature during the Romantic period.
In more recent history, Calea Negruzzi (1920-2005) was a renowned Romanian actress and theater director. She was widely acclaimed for her performances on stage and in film, and was considered one of the most influential figures in Romanian theater of the 20th century.
While the name Calea has its roots in Romanian culture, it has also gained recognition and popularity in other parts of the world, albeit to a lesser extent. The name's association with warmth, radiance, and vitality has contributed to its enduring appeal across various cultures and time periods.
People
Calea + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calea 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
Calea: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calea?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 211 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calea 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 1,624,428 US residents.
Is Calea a common name?
We classify Calea as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 214 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Calea most popular?
The single biggest year for Calea was 2006, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calea is about 17 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Calea a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Calea in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.