Kaliska
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly derived from Kalista.
Name Census estimates that about 29 living Americans carry the first name Kaliska. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kaliska today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaliska births was 2004 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaliska. 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 Kaliska. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
29
~ 1 in 11,819,115 Americans
Peak year
2004
7 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2011 SSA rank
#15,746
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Kaliska: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaliska from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 13 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Kaliska remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaliska 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 Kaliska 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 Kaliska
The name Kaliska has its origins in the ancient Slavic languages, with roots that can be traced back to the early medieval period in Eastern Europe. The name is believed to be derived from the Proto-Slavic word "kaliti," which means "to harden" or "to temper," often in reference to the process of forging metal or strengthening one's character.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kaliska can be found in the Novgorod Birch Bark Letters, a collection of ancient Slavic texts written on birch bark in the 11th and 12th centuries. These letters provide a glimpse into the daily lives and traditions of the medieval Slavic people, and the name Kaliska is mentioned in several instances, suggesting its use among the early Slavic communities.
Throughout history, the name Kaliska has been associated with individuals known for their strength, resilience, and determination. One notable figure bearing this name was Kaliska of Chernigov, a 12th-century Kievan Rus' princess renowned for her bravery and leadership during the Mongol invasions of the 13th century. Her defiance against the invading forces earned her a place in the annals of Slavic history.
In the 15th century, Kaliska Radziwill was a prominent noble woman from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. She played a significant role in the political affairs of her time and was known for her diplomatic skills and influence in shaping the alliances between the neighboring kingdoms.
Another notable figure was Kaliska Yermolayeva, a 16th-century Russian explorer who accompanied the expeditions of Semyon Dezhnyov and Fedot Alexeyev. Her contributions to the exploration of the Russian Far East and the discovery of the Bering Strait were groundbreaking for her era.
In the 18th century, Kaliska Vorontsova was a renowned Russian aristocrat and patron of the arts. Her salon in St. Petersburg was a gathering place for many influential writers, artists, and intellectuals of the time, and she was instrumental in promoting and supporting the cultural renaissance of the Russian Empire.
While the name Kaliska may not be as common today as it once was, its rich heritage and historical significance continue to resonate within the Slavic cultures, serving as a reminder of the strength, resilience, and determination that have been embodied by those who have borne this name throughout the ages.
People
Kaliska + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaliska 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
Kaliska: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaliska?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 29 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaliska 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 11,819,115 US residents.
Is Kaliska a common name?
We classify Kaliska as "Very Rare". It ranks above 46% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 30 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaliska most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaliska was 2004, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaliska is about 27 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 Kaliska in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kaliska a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaliska 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 Kaliska still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kaliska 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 Kaliska 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 Kaliska as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.