Calia
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "beautiful flower".
Name Census estimates that about 1,079 living Americans carry the first name Calia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Calia today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calia births was 2019 (67 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calia. 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
- • Calia is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 12 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 317,659 Americans
Peak year
2019
67 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,663
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Calia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calia from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 469 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Calia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calia 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 Calia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Calias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, Florida, Texas recorded the most babies named Calia, while Illinois, New York, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 47 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Calia
The name Calia has its origins in ancient Greek culture, dating back to the 5th century BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word "kalos," which means beautiful or fair. The name was popular among the Greeks, particularly in the regions of Athens and the surrounding areas.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Calia can be found in the works of the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. In his comedy "The Frogs," a character named Calia is referenced, although it is unclear if this was a real person or a fictional character.
During the Hellenistic period, which lasted from the 4th century BCE to the 1st century BCE, the name Calia gained popularity across the Mediterranean region as Greek culture and influence spread. It was particularly common among the upper classes and noble families.
In the 2nd century CE, a notable figure named Calia Afrania lived in ancient Rome. She was a wealthy woman known for her philanthropic efforts and contributions to the city's infrastructure. Unfortunately, not much else is known about her life or legacy.
Fast forward to the 12th century, and we find a reference to a Calia of Beauvais in the chronicles of the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Quentin in northern France. She was a noblewoman and patron of the arts who commissioned several works of art and literature.
During the Renaissance period, a Italian painter named Calia Amatrice (1480-1548) gained recognition for her portraits and religious works. She was born in the town of Amatrice and trained in the workshops of Rome, where she spent most of her career.
In the 17th century, a Spanish poet and playwright named Calia de la Cerda (1594-1668) made a name for herself with her witty and satirical works. She was part of the literary circle in Madrid and is remembered for her sharp tongue and critique of societal norms.
Calia has remained a relatively uncommon name throughout history, but it has been used across various cultures and regions, often associated with beauty, nobility, and artistic expression.
People
Calia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calia 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
Calia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,079 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calia 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 317,659 US residents.
Is Calia a common name?
We classify Calia as "Rare". It ranks above 90.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,090 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Calia most popular?
The single biggest year for Calia was 2019, when 67 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calia is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Calia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Calia 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.