Caleb: meaning and UK use

What does Caleb mean?

The reference favours a connection with the Hebrew word for dog and also records a whole-heart theory. Faithful is not established as a literal translation.

Language or name family covered

Hebrew; etymology debated

Meaning or derivation

Meaning uncertain

Our browsing group

boy; classic

Browsing groups describe our editorial shortlist, not rules about who may use a name. A name can cross languages and genders.

Sources for this entry — reviewed 2026-10-07:

• Behind the Name — Caleb

Pronunciation and related forms

KAY-luhb (English)

English respellings are approximate; IPA is labelled where used. Follow the pronunciation a person or family chooses, and check it with a speaker of the intended language if that connection matters to you.

Related forms recorded in the reference: Kaleb, Cale. These may be full forms, diminutives or forms in another language; they are not necessarily pronounced alike or counted together in statistics.

How popular is Caleb?

In 2025, 624 baby boys in England and Wales were registered as Caleb, making it the 82nd most popular boys’ name. That is down 7 places on 2024, when it ranked 75th. It has held a similar position for a decade (99th in 2015). Its best year in the ONS series was 2023, at 72nd. These figures cover England and Wales, not the whole UK.

2025 rank (boys)

82nd

2025 registrations

624

Best rank in this series

72nd (2023)

Every year from 1996 to 2025

Caleb: rank and number of baby boys by year (ONS)

Year	Rank	Babies
2025	82	624
2024	75	713
2023	72	718
2022	74	758
2021	76	758
2020	85	665
2019	89	693
2018	79	776
2017	77	853
2016	86	810
2015	99	659
2014	93	648
2013	88	679
2012	85	763
2011	89	709
2010	87	747
2009	104	615
2008	109	539
2007	121	458
2006	125	420
2005	131	388
2004	147	318
2003	158	268
2002	173	216
2001	154	242
2000	149	245
1999	161	213
1998	154	227
1997	135	278
1996	183	177

The sum of published counts in this 1996–2025 boys series is 16,177. This is a lower bound where years are suppressed, not the number of living people with the name. A best rank is the best position within this series; it does not establish an all-time record.

Sources: ONS release, 2025; girls' dataset; boys' dataset. Our 20 top-ten positions were checked against Table 1 in the 2025 workbooks. The history chart and spelling comparisons come from the separate ONS 1996–2025 workbook, checked 7 October 2026. Spelling variants are separate entries. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate statistics.

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Names to compare with Caleb

These suggestions share a browsing group and one or more of our style tags or source-context labels. They are taste comparisons, not etymological relatives or a popularity ranking.

• Arjunclassic · A modern form of Arjuna
• Arthurclassic · Meaning unknown
• Eliasclassic · A form of Elijah
• Felixclassic · Lucky or successful
• Georgeclassic · Farmer or earthworker
• Henryclassic · Home ruler

Read the UK naming guide for the difference between inspiration lists and official statistics, or return to the full name finder.

Registering or changing the name

Once you decide on Caleb, confirm the registration process for your UK nation with the register office. If you later want to change a registered name, the route depends on the circumstances and may require consent from people with parental responsibility.

Start with GOV.UK birth registration or GOV.UK guidance on changing a child’s name. Our registration guide and child name-change guide explain where to find the relevant official process.