UK girl's name
Calla
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "beautiful".
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.
Calla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Calla popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2000, with 14 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 22 births.
This profile covers 179 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1997 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 64% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 243 living people in the UK are called Calla. 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
- • Calla ranked #2000 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 14 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 22 girls were registered as Calla.
- • Calla ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #418 in 2022.
- • About 243 living people in the UK are estimated to have Calla as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2000
2024
Births in 2024
14
Latest year
Peak year
2017
22 births
Estimated living
243
2026
Meaning
What does Calla mean?
The given name Calla is derived from the Greek word 'kallos', meaning beauty. It originated in ancient Greece, where the calla lily was a revered flower symbolizing purity and magnificence. The name was often bestowed upon girls born into aristocratic families, as a representation of their beauty and grace.
In ancient Roman times, the name was Latinized to 'Calla', and it gained popularity among the upper classes. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was Calla Pulchra, a Roman noblewoman from the 1st century AD, renowned for her exceptional beauty and philanthropic endeavors.
During the Middle Ages, the name fell out of favor in Europe but remained in use within certain Greek communities. It resurfaced in the Renaissance period, particularly in Italy, where the calla lily was a prominent motif in art and literature. The renowned Italian painter Calla Veneziano (1460-1528) was celebrated for her exquisite portraiture of Venetian nobility.
In the 18th century, the name gained traction in England and France, often associated with artistic and literary circles. Calla Beaumont (1720-1785), a French playwright, was lauded for her romantic comedies that challenged societal norms of the time.
As European exploration and colonization expanded, the name traveled to the Americas. Calla Sheridan (1810-1888) was an influential American poet and abolitionist, whose works shed light on the struggles of enslaved people and advocated for their emancipation.
During the 20th century, the name experienced a resurgence in popularity. Calla Bryn (1901-1976), a Welsh actress, gained international acclaim for her performances on stage and in early cinema. Calla Schroeder (1920-2005), a German-American photographer, captured iconic images of post-war Europe and the civil rights movement in the United States.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Calla throughout history, highlighting its enduring association with beauty, grace, and artistic expression across various cultures and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Calla over time
The chart below shows babies named Calla registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Calla, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 14 births in 2024, compared with 22 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Calla by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Calla 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 | #2899 | 43 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3534 | 80 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3781 | 42 | 9 |
| 1990s | #2926 | 14 | 3 |
Geography
Where Calla is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Calla. 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.
Calla ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #418 in 2022.
Across the UK
Calla in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#638 in 2024
12 years of NRS records, 56 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#418 in 2022
3 years of NISRA records, 9 total registered
Related
Names similar to Calla
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Calla: questions and answers
How popular is the name Calla in the UK right now?
In 2024, Calla was ranked #2000 for girls in England and Wales, with 14 births registered.
When was Calla most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 22 babies registered as Calla in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Calla?
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "beautiful".
How many people are called Calla in the UK?
A total of 179 babies have been registered as Calla across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 56 more in Scotland and 9 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Calla most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Calla ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #418 in 2022. 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.