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Name Lineage

    The first name Kali

    A girl’s name from Sanskrit.

    Pronounced /ˈkɑːli/ 2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Sanskrit origin

    From Sanskrit काली (kālī) or कालिका (kālikā).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 26 girls were named Kali, making it the 1,229th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2020, with 47 births (#771).

    02550 1996200020052010201520202025
    644
    babies named Kali, 1996–2025
    #1,229
    rank in 2025
    2020
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kali with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Kali at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 948 girls born in the United States were named Kali, the 323rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2019, when 1,312 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    33,438
    babies named Kali since 1880
    #323
    rank in 2025
    2019
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Kali

    5 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Kali Rocha
      American actress, born 1971
    • Kali Reis
      American boxer and actress, born 1986
    • Kali Hawk
      American actress, born 1986
    • Kali Flanagan
      American ice hockey player (born 1995)
    • Kali Malone
      American composer and musician, born 1994

    More Sanskrit girls’ names

    All 288 names of Sanskrit origin

    Questions

    What does the name Kali mean?
    From Sanskrit काली (kālī) or कालिका (kālikā).
    What is the origin of the name Kali?
    From Sanskrit काली (kālī) or कालिका (kālikā).
    How popular is the name Kali?
    In 2025, 26 girls born in England and Wales were named Kali, ranking 1,229th. Its peak was 2020, with 47 births.
    Is Kali a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 97% of the 33,438 US babies named Kali since 1880 were girls.
    When was Kali most popular?
    2019 in the United States, when 1,312 babies were named Kali, its highest rank at 242nd.
    How do you pronounce Kali?
    Kali is /ˈkɑːli/, 2 syllables.