At a glance
- U.S. rank 2025
- Not in the 2025 data · last seen 2024 (#15,293)
- Babies in 2024
- 5 (<0.01% of girls)
- Peak
- #4,291 in 1918
- First recorded
- 1918
Meaning of California
California is a vibrant feminine name with a storied legacy, traced to the 16th-century Spanish romance Las Sergas de Esplandián, in which Queen Calafia ruled a mythical island called California. Over the centuries, this evocative title found its way to the sun-drenched western coast of North America, forever entwined with golden beaches, the promise of fresh beginnings, and the mesmerizing glow of the silver screen. For Indian families seeking a name that bridges old-world romance and modern flair, California conjures the warmth of a monsoon sunset meeting the Pacific breeze—a free-spirited child destined to chase horizons and savour every wave. Though it remains a rare choice in contemporary baby charts, the name carries a cinematic charm as fresh as a Bollywood melody, as if every syllable strikes an impromptu dance step of joy.
How to pronounce California
English
- Pronounced kal-uh-FORN-yuh /ˈkæləˈfɔrnjə/
Popularity of California in the U.S.
California was last recorded in the U.S. in 2024, ranked #15,293 with 5 babies. It peaked at #4,291 in 1918. It first appears in the records in 1918.
- Rank among U.S. girl names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1918–2024 27 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 15,293 | ▼ 99 |
| 2023 | 5 | 15,194 | ▼ 1,602 |
| 2022 | 6 | 13,592 | ▼ 4,030 |
| 2021 | 10 | 9,562 | ▲ 688 |
| 2020 | 9 | 10,250 | ▼ 2,112 |
| 2019 | 13 | 8,138 | ▲ 8 |
| 2018 | 13 | 8,146 | ▼ 1,054 |
| 2017 | 16 | 7,092 | ▲ 1,301 |
| 2016 | 13 | 8,393 | ▲ 1,088 |
| 2015 | 11 | 9,481 | ▲ 1,474 |
| 2014 | 9 | 10,955 | ▼ 3,207 |
| 2013 | 15 | 7,748 | ▲ 2,681 |
| 2012 | 10 | 10,429 | ▼ 706 |
| 2011 | 11 | 9,723 | ▲ 1,523 |
| 2010 | 9 | 11,246 | ▼ 3,188 |
| 2009 | 15 | 8,058 | ▲ 3,541 |
| 2008 | 9 | 11,599 | ▼ 3,866 |
| 2007 | 16 | 7,733 | ▲ 135 |
| 2006 | 15 | 7,868 | ▲ 2,260 |
| 2005 | 10 | 10,128 | ▲ 562 |
| 2004 | 9 | 10,690 | back (not recorded in 2003) |
| 2002 | 7 | 12,187 | back (not recorded in 2001) |
| 2000 | 5 | 15,031 | back (not recorded in 1996–1999) |
| 1995 | 6 | 11,783 | back (not recorded in 1992–1994) |
| 1991 | 6 | 11,509 | back (not recorded in 1920–1990) |
| 1919 | 5 | 4,814 | ▼ 523 |
| 1918 | 6 | 4,291 | new |