Caleya
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly meaning "sound of laughter".
Name Census estimates that about 70 living Americans carry the first name Caleya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Caleya today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Caleya births was 2021 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Caleya. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Caleya. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
70
~ 1 in 4,896,491 Americans
Peak year
2021
11 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,746
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Caleya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Caleya from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 40 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Caleya remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Caleya 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 Caleya 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 Caleya
The name Caleya is a unique and captivating moniker with a rich tapestry of origins and cultural influences. Its roots can be traced back to the ancient Greek language, deriving from the word "kalos," which translates to "beautiful." This linguistic connection is deeply intertwined with the name's meaning, imbuing it with a sense of grace and aesthetic appeal.
In its earliest recorded use, Caleya was found in ancient Greek texts and inscriptions, often given to individuals whose physical or inner beauty was celebrated. It was a name that carried a certain reverence and admiration, reflecting the Greek ideals of harmony and aesthetic refinement.
As the name traversed through time and across borders, it underwent various transformations and adaptations, reflecting the diverse cultural tapestries it encountered. Caleya's journey took it to the shores of ancient Rome, where it was embraced and assimilated into the Latin language, taking on the form of "Calia" or "Callia."
In the annals of history, Caleya has been borne by notable figures who left an indelible mark on their respective eras. One such individual was Caleya of Lesbos, a renowned poet and philosopher from the 6th century BCE, whose works explored the themes of love, beauty, and the human experience. Her legacy lived on through the preservation of her writings, inspiring generations of artists and thinkers alike.
Another notable figure was Caleya Metella, a Roman noblewoman from the 1st century BCE, renowned for her exceptional beauty and intellect. Her portrait bust, now housed in the Vatican Museums, stands as a testament to her enduring allure and the reverence she commanded in her time.
In the realm of literature, Caleya found a place in the works of the celebrated Greek poet Sappho, who penned lyrical verses celebrating the beauty and grace of a woman bearing this name. These poetic tributes have transcended the ages, solidifying Caleya's place in the annals of literary history.
The name Caleya also graced the pages of ancient religious texts and scriptures, appearing in various forms and contexts. In the Hindu Vedas, for instance, it was associated with the concept of divine beauty and the personification of feminine grace.
Throughout the centuries, Caleya has continued to captivate and inspire, with notable individuals bearing this name leaving their mark across various disciplines. Caleya Bevisangbhavan, a 17th-century Thai poet and artist, was renowned for her exquisite verse and intricate paintings that depicted the natural world with breathtaking beauty.
In the modern era, Caleya has been embraced as a name that evokes a sense of timeless elegance and sophistication. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to transcend cultural boundaries, carrying with it the echoes of ancient traditions and the promise of eternal beauty.
People
Caleya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Caleya 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
Caleya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Caleya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 70 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Caleya 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 4,896,491 US residents.
Is Caleya a common name?
We classify Caleya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 59.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 71 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Caleya most popular?
The single biggest year for Caleya was 2021, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Caleya is about 10 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 Caleya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Caleya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Caleya 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.
Is Caleya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Caleya 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 Caleya 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 are named Caleya?
Want to know how many people have the name Caleya? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.