Kaleb
Say it: KAY-leb/ˈkeɪ.lɛb/
BoyMeans dog, often read as a sign of loyalty5 letters2 syllables
#402
in Ireland (2025)
#390 with spellings combined
9
babies in 2025
#293
best rank (2024)
108
babies since 2005
Up 225
10-year rank change
Kaleb through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | #390 |
| 2024 | 13 | #293 |
| 2023 | 12 | #319 |
| 2022 | 7 | #438 |
| 2021 | 5 | #530 |
| 2019 | 5 | #537 |
| 2018 | 3 | #703 |
| 2017 | 6 | #495 |
| 2015 | 4 | #615 |
| 2014 | 5 | #550 |
| 2013 | 5 | #535 |
| 2012 | 9 | #401 |
| 2011 | 6 | #490 |
| 2009 | 4 | #604 |
| 2008 | 4 | #601 |
| 2007 | 4 | #527 |
| 2006 | 4 | #492 |
| 2005 | 3 | #518 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Kaleb mean?
Dog, often read as a sign of loyalty
Hebrew, from the word for dog, a modern spelling of the biblical Caleb.
Say it right
KAYleb
The story of Kaleb
Kaleb is a newer spelling of Caleb, a name from the Hebrew Bible. It is usually linked to the Hebrew word for a dog, and some explain it as a picture of faithful devotion. In the Book of Numbers, Caleb is one of the twelve men Moses sent to scout the land of Canaan. He and Joshua were the only two who came back urging the people to go in.
The spelling with K is much less common than Caleb, and the CSO counts the two separately.
Kaleb first reached the Irish list in 2005. It has grown slowly, and its best year was 2024, when 13 boys were named Kaleb and it reached number 293. It is used more in Northern Ireland, where 14 boys were given the name in 2025, placing it at number 159 there.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Kaleb (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Kaleb (name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Kaleb | 9 | 108 |
In Northern Ireland
#159 in 2025 with 14 babies. Best rank #159 (2020); 133 babies since 2007.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.