Declining since 2021, #4,539 for boys today.
Popularity of Calihan since 2018
Babies named Calihan per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0 | 17 |
| 2020s | 24 | 184 |
Meaning & origin
Calihan is a modern given name derived from the Irish surname Callaghan, itself anglicized from Ó Ceallacháin. It first appeared on U.S. birth records in 2018, and by 2025 it ranked 4,539, with roughly 1 in every 77,640 newborns receiving the name. Its peak year so far was 2021, after which its trajectory shows a declining usage. The name has not yet appeared in any top state data. As a fresh alternative to more established Irish surnames like Callahan or Collins, Calihan appeals to parents seeking a distinctive yet familiar-sounding name with Celtic roots.
Calihan is a variant or modern respelling of the Irish surname Callaghan, derived from the Gaelic Ó Ceallacháin, meaning 'descendant of Ceallachán'. Ceallachán is a diminutive of the personal name Ceallach, which is of uncertain meaning, possibly connected to 'ceall' meaning 'church' or 'strife'. The name has been used as a given name in the United States, first recorded in 2018.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cal, Han
Sibling names for Calihan
Names that share Calihan's style, for a brother or sister.
