Calum
Meaning of Calum
Calum is the sprightly Scottish Gaelic cousin of Columba, a name that first fluttered out of Latin on dove’s wings and never quite landed, forever circling the globe with gentle grace. He carries the meaning “dove,” so peace and hope trail behind him like the soft hum of a tanpura at dawn, and legend ties him to St. Columba—the fearless monk who crossed rough seas to light up Scotland with faith. In today’s playlists you’ll hear singer-songwriter Calum Scott crooning, on rugby pitches you’ll spot Calum Sheedy sprinting, and in U.S. nurseries the name quietly climbs the charts, flapping from rank 838 in 2016 to 669 in 2024—proof that steady beats can still outshine flash. Say it aloud—KAL-uhm—and it pops like a curry leaf in hot ghee: quick, fragrant, memorable. For parents seeking a tag that blends Celtic cool with universal calm, Calum offers the best of both worlds, wrapping Highland heather and Indian jasmine into one breezy garland.
Pronunciation
Scottish Gaelic
- Pronunced as KAL-uhm (/ˈkæləm/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Calum
| English singer and songwriter Calum Scott won hearts on a 2015 TV talent show with his cover of Dancing on My Own by Robyn, and his studio version became the best-selling UK single of summer 2016. |
| Calum Willock is an English-born former forward who played in all of the top seven tiers of English football and represented Saint Kitts and Nevis internationally. |
| Calum Ferrie is an English goalkeeper who plays for Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership. |
| Calum Best is a British-American TV personality, entrepreneur, and former model, the only child of football legend George Best, and chairman of the Dorking Wanderers women's team. |
| Calum Hood is the Australian bassist and vocalist of 5 Seconds of Summer, one of the most successful bands ever to come out of Australia. |
| Calum Worthy is an award-winning Canadian actor best known for playing Dez on the Disney Channel hit Austin & Ally and Nicholas Godejohn in the Hulu series The Act. |
| Calum MacDonald is a Scottish Labour politician who represented the Western Isles in Parliament from 1987 to 2005 and served as a Scotland Office minister. |
| Calum MacRae is the head coach of Benetton and previously led the Scotland rugby sevens team from 2014 to 2017. |
| Calum MacDonald is a Scottish musician who co-founded the Celtic rock band Runrig, playing percussion and writing most of its lyrics alongside his brother Rory from 1973 to 2018. |
| Calum Semple is a British doctor and professor of child health and outbreak medicine at the University of Liverpool who also cares for young patients at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. |
| Calum Waters is an English rugby union player who plays scrum-half for RFU Championship side Hartpury University. |
