UK boy's name
Calihan
A feminine name of Celtic origin meaning "battler" or "fighter".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Calihan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Calihan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2020 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Calihan. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Calihan ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 3 boys were registered as Calihan.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Calihan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2020
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Calihan mean?
The given name Calihan is an ancient name with roots dating back to the Celtic tribes of ancient Britain and Ireland. It is derived from the Old Irish Gaelic word "calhain," which means "bright-headed" or "fair-haired." The name was likely given to children born with light-colored hair, which was seen as a sign of beauty and distinction among the Celts.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Calihan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a Calihan mac Áedáin, who was a prince of the Uí Néill dynasty in the 7th century AD. This suggests that the name was in use among the ruling classes of ancient Ireland.
In the 9th century, a monk named Calihan of Iona is mentioned in the Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee, a famous collection of hagiographies (saints' lives) from the Celtic church. This Calihan was revered as a saint, though little else is known about his life.
The name Calihan appears to have spread beyond Ireland and Britain during the Middle Ages. In the 12th century, a French nobleman named Calihan de Montfort is recorded as having participated in the Third Crusade to the Holy Land. This suggests that the name had gained some popularity among the Norman aristocracy of France.
During the Renaissance period, a prominent Italian artist named Calihan Della Robbia (1444-1501) became renowned for his sculptures and terra-cotta works. He was a member of the famous Della Robbia family of artists from Florence.
In more modern times, one of the most notable individuals with the name Calihan was Calihan MacLeod (1856-1935), a Scottish politician and Member of Parliament who served as the Lord Advocate of Scotland, the country's highest legal officer, from 1916 to 1920.
While the name Calihan has ancient roots and a rich history, it has become relatively uncommon in modern times, particularly outside of Ireland and Scotland. However, its Celtic origins and unique meaning have ensured that it remains a distinctive and intriguing name with a fascinating legacy.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Calihan over time
The chart below shows babies named Calihan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2020 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Calihan, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calihan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Calihan 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 | #4800 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Calihan
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Calihan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Calihan in the UK right now?
In 2023, Calihan was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Calihan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 3 babies registered as Calihan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Calihan?
A feminine name of Celtic origin meaning "battler" or "fighter".
How many people are called Calihan in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Calihan across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.