Caliann
A feminine name possibly derived from the Gaelic elements "cali" meaning brave or strong.
Name Census estimates that about 159 living Americans carry the first name Caliann. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Caliann today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Caliann births was 2012 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Caliann. 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
159
~ 1 in 2,155,688 Americans
Peak year
2012
17 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2023 SSA rank
#15,613
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Caliann: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Caliann 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 106 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Caliann 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 Caliann 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 Caliann
The name Caliann has its origins in the ancient Celtic languages spoken in the British Isles. It is believed to be derived from the Proto-Celtic root "kal-", meaning "bright" or "shining", combined with a feminine suffix "-ann". This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a radiant or luminous woman.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Caliann date back to the 6th century CE, when it appeared as a variant spelling of the more common name Callan in Irish and Scottish genealogical records. In these ancient texts, the name was often bestowed upon women of noble or royal lineage, possibly as a reflection of their perceived beauty or illustrious status.
One notable historical figure bearing the name Caliann was a 7th-century Irish princess and abbess, who founded a monastery at Fenagh, County Leitrim. Her life and deeds are chronicled in the Martyrology of Oengus, an important medieval Irish hagiographical text.
In the 9th century, a Welsh noblewoman named Caliann ferch Rhodri was recorded as the wife of King Merfyn Frych of Gwynedd. Their union played a significant role in the political landscape of the time, as it solidified an alliance between two powerful dynasties.
During the Middle Ages, the name Caliann gained popularity among the Celtic nobility and was occasionally adopted by women of English and Norman descent, who may have been influenced by the cultural exchange between these groups.
In the 14th century, a Scottish woman named Caliann of Argyll was renowned for her skills as a physician and herbalist. Her expertise in traditional healing practices earned her a respected reputation throughout the Highlands.
Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Caliann O'Doherty, an Irish noblewoman and poet who lived in the late 16th century. Her compositions, which celebrated the natural beauty of her homeland and expressed her deep spirituality, were widely admired and preserved in literary anthologies.
While the name Caliann has ancient Celtic roots, its use has become relatively rare in modern times. However, it remains a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the British Isles and the enduring influence of Celtic languages and traditions.
People
Caliann + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Caliann 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
Caliann: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Caliann?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 159 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Caliann 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 2,155,688 US residents.
Is Caliann a common name?
We classify Caliann as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 160 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Caliann most popular?
The single biggest year for Caliann was 2012, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Caliann is about 12 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 Caliann in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Caliann a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Caliann 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 Caliann still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Caliann 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 Caliann 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 common is the name Caliann?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.