Calem
A Latin-derived masculine name meaning "messenger of peace".
Name Census estimates that about 418 living Americans carry the first name Calem. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Calem today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calem births was 2009 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calem. 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
418
~ 1 in 819,986 Americans
Peak year
2009
21 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,824
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Calem: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calem from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 139 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Calem remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calem 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 Calem 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 Calem
The name Calem is believed to have its origins in the Celtic languages of ancient Britain and Ireland. It is thought to be derived from the Proto-Celtic word "caletos," which means "hardy" or "strong." This would suggest that the name was initially associated with concepts of resilience and fortitude.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Calem dates back to the 6th century AD, where it appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, a Calem is mentioned as a nobleman in the kingdom of Dál Riata, which spanned parts of modern-day Scotland and Northern Ireland.
During the Middle Ages, the name Calem appears to have been popular among the Welsh and Cornish populations of Britain. Several historical figures bore this name, including Calem ap Rhodri (c. 1050-1090), a Welsh prince and ruler of the Kingdom of Gwynedd.
In the 12th century, a Benedictine monk named Calem of Durham (c. 1095-1165) gained recognition for his scholarly works on theology and philosophy. He is believed to have been of Norman-Welsh descent, reflecting the enduring popularity of the name across cultural boundaries.
Throughout the centuries, the name Calem has been associated with various individuals of note. One such figure was Calem MacDonald (1824-1892), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and businessman who played a significant role in the development of British Columbia.
Another notable bearer of the name was Calem Gillen (1874-1945), an Australian anthropologist and ethnologist who made significant contributions to the study of indigenous Australian cultures, particularly those of Central Australia.
In more recent times, Calem Hendry (born 1996) is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays as a forward for the English club Sunderland A.F.C.
While the name Calem has deep historical roots and a rich cultural heritage, it remains relatively uncommon in modern times. Nevertheless, its enduring presence across different eras and regions serves as a testament to the timeless appeal of names rooted in ancient traditions.
People
Calem + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calem 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
Calem: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calem?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 418 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calem 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 819,986 US residents.
Is Calem a common name?
We classify Calem as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 424 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Calem most popular?
The single biggest year for Calem was 2009, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calem is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Calem a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Calem 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.
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.