Kaleb
Meaning
modern spelling of Caleb; probably connected to Hebrew "dog," alternatively "whole heart"
The story
Kaleb is a modern English spelling of Caleb, preserving the same biblical name with a K. The deeper meaning is less tidy than many baby-name lists suggest. The leading proposal connects Caleb with the Hebrew word for dog; another analysis reads elements for whole and heart. Faithful or wholehearted works as an interpretation of the biblical bearer's character, but it should not be presented as the only settled translation. In scripture, Caleb is one of the twelve scouts sent into Canaan and one of only two from his generation to reach the Promised Land. The US curve for Kaleb first appears in the 1970s, rises through the 1980s and 1990s, reaches a broad high across the 2000s and 2010s, then eases in the 2020s. Kaleb is ancient in lineage but distinctly modern in spelling and American timing.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Kaleb peaked in the 2000s and the 2010s in nearly equal measure.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
18,957 people · the #1,102 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 10,753 · median age 5
Among people named Kaleb living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 2010s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 7,008 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Kaleb
Most people given the name Kaleb in the United States are teenagers or young adults today.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Kaleb deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Kaleb truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Kaleb fits with your family’s names and surname.
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