Kalil

Meaning & origin

Kalil entered the U.S. baby name charts in 1977, a relatively late debut that suggests its use spread as a familiar spelling variant of the longer-established Khalil. The name reached its peak popularity in 2002 at rank 2,634, then began a gradual decline that has continued through the 2020s. By 2025, it stood at rank 5,208, with about 1 in 94,893 male births. This trajectory reflects a broader pattern: many Arabic-derived names enjoyed rising visibility in the late 1990s and early 2000s, then receded as naming trends shifted. Kalil has never appeared among the top baby names in any U.S. state, reinforcing its status as a distinctive, relatively uncommon choice that retains strong cultural and religious resonance within Muslim families.

Kalil is a variant of Khalil, an Arabic name derived from the root kh-l-l, meaning 'friend' or 'companion.' In Islamic tradition, Khalil is a title of the prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), signifying 'friend of God.' The name has been used across the Arabic-speaking world and among Muslim communities globally, and its variant Kalil is a common anglicized spelling in the United States.