Calel
A Hebrew masculine name meaning "to honor, praise or respect God".
Name Census estimates that about 190 living Americans carry the first name Calel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Calel today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Calel births was 2015 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Calel. 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
190
~ 1 in 1,803,970 Americans
Peak year
2015
16 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,501
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Calel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Calel from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 91 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Calel remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calel 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 Calel 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 Calel
The name Calel is believed to have originated from the ancient Mayan civilization of Central America, dating back to the pre-Columbian era. It is derived from the Yucatec Maya word "ka'lel," which means "one who is respected or revered." The name was likely used to honor individuals who held positions of authority or esteem within their communities.
In Mayan mythology, Calel was also the name of a minor deity associated with the wind and air. This deity was often depicted as a winged figure, symbolizing the ever-present and life-giving nature of the wind. It is possible that the name gained additional significance due to this mythological connection.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Calel can be found in the Dresden Codex, an ancient Mayan book of astronomical and astrological calculations. This codex, believed to have been created between the 11th and 12th centuries, contains a list of names, including Calel, which were likely used for individuals born under specific astrological circumstances.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Calel:
1. Calel Itzá (c. 1450 - 1521) was a revered Maya priest and spiritual leader from the Yucatán Peninsula. He played a crucial role in preserving Mayan cultural traditions and knowledge during the early years of Spanish colonization.
2. Calel Xiu (c. 1530 - 1597) was a Maya nobleman and military leader who led a rebellion against Spanish rule in the Yucatán region. He is remembered for his efforts to defend Mayan autonomy and resist the encroachment of Spanish colonial powers.
3. Calel Cahum (c. 1620 - 1692) was a Maya scribe and historian who recorded valuable information about Mayan history, customs, and traditions. His writings have provided invaluable insights into the daily life and practices of the Maya people during the colonial period.
4. Calel Pech (c. 1770 - 1835) was a Maya artist and sculptor renowned for his intricate carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Mayan mythological figures and scenes. His works are considered significant contributions to the preservation of Mayan artistic heritage.
5. Calel Matul (c. 1880 - 1956) was a Maya farmer and community leader who played a pivotal role in advocating for the rights and land ownership of indigenous Maya communities in Guatemala during the early 20th century.
While the name Calel has its roots in the ancient Mayan civilization, it has endured through various historical periods and continues to be used in various parts of Central America today, serving as a link to the rich cultural heritage of the Maya people.
People
Calel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Calel 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
Calel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Calel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 190 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Calel 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 1,803,970 US residents.
Is Calel a common name?
We classify Calel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 191 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Calel most popular?
The single biggest year for Calel was 2015, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Calel is about 10 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 Calel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Calel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Calel 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 Calel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Calel 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 Calel 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 are called Calel?
You can see how many people have the name Calel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.