Calyx
Derived from the Greek word for the outer covering of a flower bud.
Name Census estimates that about 212 living Americans carry the first name Calyx. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 79.0% of registrations being male. The average person named Calyx today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calyx births was 2022 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calyx. 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
212
~ 1 in 1,616,766 Americans
Peak year
2022
25 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,682
Tracked since 1997
Gender
Gender distribution for Calyx
Calyx is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 214 total registrations, 169 (79.0%) were male and 45 (21.0%) were female.
Calyx as a male name
- Ranked #5,682 in 2024
- 16 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (20 births)
Calyx as a female name
- Ranked #15,740 in 2022
- 5 female births in 2022
- Peak: 2014 (8 births)
Popularity
Calyx: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calyx 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 97 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calyx 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 Calyx 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 Calyx
The given name Calyx has its roots in ancient Greek, where it referred to the outer covering or whorl of sepals that protect a flower bud before it blooms. The word "calyx" is derived from the Greek word "kalux," meaning a husk or outer covering. This botanical term eventually transitioned into being used as a given name, likely inspired by the beauty and delicacy associated with flower buds.
While the name Calyx does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its botanical origins suggest a connection to nature and the natural world. The earliest recorded use of Calyx as a given name dates back to the late 19th century, when it began to gain popularity as a unique and unconventional name choice, particularly in English-speaking countries.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Calyx was Calyx Courtney, an English artist and illustrator born in 1880. He was known for his intricate botanical illustrations and his work in promoting the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain.
Another notable figure was Calyx Schenk, a German-American botanist and professor born in 1868. He made significant contributions to the study of plant anatomy and was a pioneer in the field of paleobotany, the study of ancient plant life through fossil records.
In the realm of literature, Calyx Beckett, an Irish author born in 1907, gained recognition for her poetic works and her exploration of themes related to nature and the human experience.
Calyx Forrester, born in 1928, was an American environmentalist and conservationist who played a crucial role in establishing several national parks and wildlife reserves across the United States.
More recently, Calyx Everett, born in 1975, is a Canadian artist and sculptor known for her large-scale installations that often incorporate natural materials and explore the relationship between humans and the natural world.
While the name Calyx has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, its unique botanical origins and association with nature have inspired its use as a given name for individuals across various fields and cultures.
People
Calyx + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calyx 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
Calyx: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calyx?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 212 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calyx 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 1,616,766 US residents.
Is Calyx a common name?
We classify Calyx as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75% 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 Calyx most popular?
The single biggest year for Calyx was 2022, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calyx is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Calyx a male name?
Yes, 79.0% of people registered as Calyx 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.