NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Kale

A baby boy's name derived from the Greek word meaning "cabbage".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kale is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Kale popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3959, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 20 births.

This profile covers 172 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 1997 to 2018. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 20% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 176 living people in the UK are called Kale. 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 2019 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kale ranked #3959 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2013, when 20 boys were registered as Kale.
  • Kale ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #491 in 2011.
  • About 176 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kale as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 98.3% of Kale registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3959

2018

Births in 2018

4

Latest year

Peak year

2013

20 births

Estimated living

176

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Kale

In England and Wales birth records, Kale has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 98.3% of registrations are for boys and 1.7% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

98% boys
Boys172 (98.3%)Girls3 (1.7%)

Kale registered for boys

  • Ranked #3,959 in 2018
  • 4 boys registered in 2018
  • Peak: 2013 (20 births)

Kale registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,669 in 2022
  • 3 girls registered in 2022
  • Peak: 2022 (3 births)

Meaning

What does Kale mean?

The name Kale has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which was widely used in ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "kalya," which means "auspicious" or "fortunate." The name gained popularity in various regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly among Hindu communities.

Kale is also found in the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, where it is mentioned as the name of a warrior in the Kaurava army. This ancient text, which dates back to around the 4th century BCE, provides one of the earliest recorded instances of the name's usage.

In the 8th century CE, a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer named Kale Krisnamba made significant contributions to the field of mathematics. He is credited with developing a method for solving indeterminate equations, known as the "Kale Krisnamba Method."

Another notable figure with the name Kale was Kale Khan, a military commander who served under the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. He played a crucial role in the conquest of the Bengal region and was eventually appointed as the governor of the region.

In the realm of Indian classical music, Kale Krishnabuwa Kalye, born in 1888, was a prominent Hindustani classical vocalist and composer. He was renowned for his expertise in the Khayal and Thumri styles of music and made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Indian classical music.

Kale Gorakshkar, born in 1905, was a revered Indian freedom fighter and social reformer. He dedicated his life to the struggle for India's independence from British colonial rule and worked tirelessly to uplift marginalized communities.

While the name Kale has its roots in ancient Sanskrit, it has been adopted by various cultures and communities across the Indian subcontinent, each adding their own unique linguistic and cultural influences to its meaning and significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kale over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kale in England and Wales, from 1997 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kale, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2018, compared with 20 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
05101520199720092022

Decades

Kale by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kale 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
2010s #2289 87 8
2000s #2257 71 10
1990s #2307 14 3

Geography

Where Kale is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kale. 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.

Kale ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #491 in 2011.

Scotland
5

Across the UK

Kale in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#491 in 2011

1 years of NRS records, 5 total registered

Related

Names similar to Kale

FAQ

Kale: questions and answers

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

In 2018, Kale was ranked #3959 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Kale most popular?

The peak year on record was 2013, with 20 babies registered as Kale in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kale?

A baby boy's name derived from the Greek word meaning "cabbage".

How many people are called Kale in the UK?

A total of 172 babies have been registered as Kale across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 5 more in Scotland.

Where is Kale most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Kale ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #491 in 2011. 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.