Kalab
An Arabic name meaning "dog" or "puppy".
Name Census estimates that about 455 living Americans carry the first name Kalab. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kalab today is around 24 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kalab births was 1999 (30 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kalab. 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
455
~ 1 in 753,306 Americans
Peak year
1999
30 babies that year
Average age
24
years old
2023 SSA rank
#11,512
Tracked since 1987
Popularity
Kalab: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kalab from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 184 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kalab 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 Kalab during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kalabs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kalab
The given name Kalab has its roots in the ancient Hebrew language, originating from the Middle Eastern region around the 6th century BCE. It is believed to be derived from the Hebrew word "kalev," which translates to "dog" or "puppy." The name may have been initially bestowed upon individuals with qualities associated with dogs, such as loyalty, protectiveness, or a keen sense of smell.
In the biblical Book of Numbers, Kalab is mentioned as one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. His unwavering faith and courage earned him the distinction of being one of the only two spies who encouraged the Israelites to proceed with the conquest of the promised land, despite the reports of giants and fortified cities.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Kalab was Kalab ibn Wail, a renowned Arab poet and warrior who lived in the 6th century CE. His poetic prowess and military exploits earned him a place in the annals of pre-Islamic Arabian history.
In the Middle Ages, the name gained popularity among Jewish communities across Europe and the Middle East. One notable figure was Kalab Afendopolo, a prominent Jewish physician and philosopher who lived in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) during the 14th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the field of medicine and his extensive writings on Jewish philosophy.
During the Renaissance period, the name Kalab was adopted by various European families, often with slight variations in spelling, such as Caleb or Kaleb. One notable bearer of the name was Caleb Pusey, a British-born Quaker who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the late 17th century and played a significant role in the early settlement and governance of the colony.
In the 19th century, Kalab Cushing was an influential American lawyer, judge, and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. He was known for his advocacy of slavery abolition and his strong support for the Union cause during the Civil War.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Kalab was Caleb Bradham, an American businessman and inventor who created the popular soft drink Pepsi-Cola in the late 19th century. His innovative spirit and entrepreneurial success have left a lasting impact on the beverage industry.
People
Kalab + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kalab as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kalab: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kalab?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 455 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kalab 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 753,306 US residents.
Is Kalab a common name?
We classify Kalab as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 463 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kalab most popular?
The single biggest year for Kalab was 1999, when 30 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kalab is about 24 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kalab a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kalab 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.