Kalil
Of Arabic origin meaning "friend" or "beloved companion".
Name Census estimates that about 1,287 living Americans carry the first name Kalil. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kalil today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kalil births was 2000 (61 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kalil. 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
1.3K
~ 1 in 266,320 Americans
Peak year
2000
61 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,621
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Kalil: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kalil from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 551 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
Kalil 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 Kalil during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kalils live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. New York, Georgia, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Kalil, while Ohio, Michigan, District of Columbia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 21 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kalil
The name Kalil has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, originating from the term "Khalil," which means "friend" or "beloved." This name has been in use for centuries, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 7th century CE.
One of the most notable historical references to the name Kalil can be found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. In the Quran, the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) is referred to as "Khalilullah," meaning "the friend of God." This association with the prophet Ibrahim has contributed to the name's widespread use among Muslims.
The earliest recorded individual with the name Kalil was Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Farahidi, a renowned Arabic philologist and lexicographer who lived in the 8th century CE. He is renowned for his work in compiling one of the earliest dictionaries of the Arabic language, titled "Kitab al-Ayn."
Another notable figure in history with the name Kalil was Khalil Gibran, a Lebanese-American philosopher, artist, and writer, born in 1883 and died in 1931. His poetic works, such as "The Prophet" and "The Madman," have been widely acclaimed and translated into numerous languages.
In the realm of music, Khalil Gibran Muhammad, an American jazz trumpeter and composer, made significant contributions to the genre. He was born in 1936 and passed away in 2001.
Moving to the world of sports, Khalil Mack, an American football player who currently plays as a defensive end for the Los Angeles Chargers in the NFL, was born in 1991 and has earned numerous accolades, including being named to the Pro Bowl multiple times.
Lastly, Khalil Gibran Kahlil, a Lebanese politician and former member of the Lebanese parliament, was born in 1942 and has been active in promoting peace and reconciliation efforts in his country.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Kalil, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and enduring popularity across various fields.
People
Kalil + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kalil 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
Kalil: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kalil?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,287 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kalil 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 266,320 US residents.
Is Kalil a common name?
We classify Kalil as "Rare". It ranks above 91.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,307 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kalil most popular?
The single biggest year for Kalil was 2000, when 61 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kalil is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kalil a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kalil 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.