Kalek
A name of unknown meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kalek. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kalek today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kalek births was 2006 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kalek. 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 Kalek. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2006
5 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2006 SSA rank
#13,010
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Kalek: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kalek 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 Kalek during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kalek
The name Kalek is believed to have originated in the ancient Sumerian civilization, which flourished in the region of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500-2000 BCE. It is derived from the Sumerian words "kal," meaning "precious," and "ek," meaning "to possess." The name, therefore, translates to "one who possesses precious things" or "owner of treasures."
In the cuneiform inscriptions found on clay tablets from the Sumerian era, the name Kalek appears to have been used primarily for individuals of high social standing or wealth. It is possible that the name was bestowed upon those who were born into affluent families or had amassed significant material possessions.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kalek was a Sumerian scribe and scholar who lived around 2400 BCE. His name appeared on several clay tablets that documented administrative records and literary works of the time.
During the Babylonian period, which followed the Sumerian civilization, the name Kalek was adopted by some members of the ruling class. A notable figure bearing this name was Kalek of Uruk, a high-ranking official who served under King Shulgi of the Third Dynasty of Ur around 2100 BCE.
In the ancient Akkadian language, which was closely related to Sumerian, the name Kalek was sometimes written as "Kalku" or "Kalku." This variation is found in some cuneiform inscriptions from the region of Mesopotamia dating back to around 2000 BCE.
Another historical figure with the name Kalek was a Babylonian astrologer and mathematician who lived during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BCE). His astronomical observations and calculations were recorded on clay tablets and contributed to the development of early astronomical knowledge in the region.
During the Persian Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BCE), which ruled over a vast territory including Mesopotamia, the name Kalek was occasionally used by members of the nobility or royal court. A notable figure from this period was Kalek of Persepolis, a high-ranking official and advisor to King Darius I (550-486 BCE).
In the ancient Elamite civilization, which was located in the region of modern-day Iran and had close cultural ties with Mesopotamia, the name Kalek was sometimes rendered as "Kalak" or "Kalakh." This variation appeared in inscriptions and records from the Elamite era, dating back to around 2000-600 BCE.
While the name Kalek has its origins in the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and the surrounding regions, it has been largely preserved and carried forward through various cultural and linguistic traditions over the centuries, albeit with varying spellings and pronunciations.
People
Kalek + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kalek 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
Kalek: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kalek?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kalek 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Kalek a common name?
We classify Kalek as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kalek most popular?
The single biggest year for Kalek was 2006, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kalek is about 20 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 Kalek in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kalek a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kalek 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.
Is Kalek still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kalek 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 Kalek 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 have the name Kalek?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.