NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Caleb

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "faithful" or "whole-hearted".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Caleb is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Caleb popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #75, with 713 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 853 births.

This profile covers 15,553 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 84% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 19,403 living people in the UK are called Caleb. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Caleb ranked #75 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 713 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2017, when 853 boys were registered as Caleb.
  • Caleb ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #26 in 2024.
  • About 19,403 living people in the UK are estimated to have Caleb as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#75

2024

Births in 2024

713

Latest year

Peak year

2017

853 births

Estimated living

19,403

2026

Meaning

What does Caleb mean?

The name Caleb has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew word "kelev," which means "dog" or "faithful companion." The name was initially associated with loyalty and devotion.

Caleb is a prominent biblical name, appearing in the Old Testament. In the Book of Numbers, Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to scout the land of Canaan. Along with Joshua, he was among the only two spies who remained faithful and encouraged the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Caleb can be found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date back to the 3rd century BCE. The name appears in various ancient Hebrew texts and manuscripts, indicating its widespread usage among the Hebrew people.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Caleb. In the 17th century, Caleb Quotlequah (c. 1624-1690) was a prominent leader and diplomat of the Chickasaws, a Native American tribe. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and fostering relationships between his tribe and European settlers.

Caleb Cushing (1800-1879) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 35th United States Attorney General under President Franklin Pierce. He played a significant role in the acquisition of Alaska from Russia in 1867.

Caleb Bradham (1867-1934) was an American businessman best known as the inventor of Pepsi-Cola, one of the world's most popular soft drinks. He created the beverage in 1893 and initially marketed it as a digestive aid and energy booster.

Caleb Carr (born 1955) is an American novelist and military historian. He is best known for his novels "The Alienist" and "The Angel of Darkness," which were set in late 19th century New York City and explored the early days of psychological profiling in criminal investigations.

Caleb Plant (born 1992) is an American professional boxer who has held multiple world championships in the super middleweight division. He gained recognition for his impressive performances and engaging persona both inside and outside the ring.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Caleb over time

The chart below shows babies named Caleb registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Caleb, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 713 births in 2024, compared with 853 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Caleb
0213427640853199620102024

Decades

Caleb by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Caleb was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #76 3,612 5
2010s #87 7,337 10
2000s #137 3,709 10
1990s #158 895 4

Geography

Where Caleb is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Caleb. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Caleb ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #26 in 2024.

Scotland
101
Northern Ireland
60

Across the UK

Caleb in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#42 in 2024

33 years of NRS records, 2,456 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#26 in 2024

28 years of NISRA records, 1,522 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Caleb

  • Caleb McDuff

    racing driver

    Profoundly deaf go-kart racer

    2008-

  • Caleb Taylor

    association football player

    English footballer

    2003-

  • Caleb Watts

    association football player

    Australian association football player

    2002-

  • Caleb Chukwuemeka

    association football player

    English association football player

    2002-

  • Caleb Richards

    association football player

    British association football player (born 1998)

    1998-

  • Caleb Montgomery

    rugby union player

    Irish rugby union player

    1995-

  • Caleb Azumah Nelson

    writer; photographer; novelist

    English-Ghanaian novelist and photographer

    1993-

  • Caleb Meakins

    motivational speaker

    Ethiopian-born British entrepreneur, motivational speaker and YouTuber (1989–2020)

    1989-2020

Related

Names similar to Caleb

FAQ

Caleb: questions and answers

How popular is the name Caleb in the UK right now?

In 2024, Caleb was ranked #75 for boys in England and Wales, with 713 births registered.

When was Caleb most popular?

The peak year on record was 2017, with 853 babies registered as Caleb in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Caleb?

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "faithful" or "whole-hearted".

How many people are called Caleb in the UK?

A total of 15,553 babies have been registered as Caleb across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 2,456 more in Scotland and 1,522 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Caleb most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Caleb ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #26 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.