Declining since 2017, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Caliber since 2004
Babies named Caliber per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0 | 25 |
| 2010s | 5 | 136 |
| 2020s | 12 | 95 |
Meaning & origin
Caliber first appeared in U.S. birth records in 2004, a modern invention with no prior history as a given name. It reached its peak popularity in 2016, when it was given to an estimated 20 or fewer boys, but has been on a steady decline since 2017. As of 2025, it ranks 8,243, with approximately 1 in 189,786 newborn boys receiving the name. This rarity places Caliber among the most distinctive choices in the current landscape. The name has not yet appeared in any state-level top 1000 rankings, indicating its use remains scattered across the country. Its aspirational sound and literal meaning likely appeal to parents seeking an unconventional, virtue-inspired name.
Caliber is a modern invented name, first recorded in the United States in 2004. It is derived from the English word 'caliber', which itself came from Old French 'calibre' and Italian 'calibro', ultimately from Arabic 'qālib', meaning a mold or form. The word conveys a sense of quality, capacity, or excellence. As a given name, it fits a pattern of using virtue-word or aspirational names, though it remains rare.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cal, Caly
Variants: Calibre
Sibling names for Caliber
Names that share Caliber's style, for a brother or sister.
