Kale
Kale is a boy's name of Hawaiian origin.
Meaning
Free man (via Hawaiian adaptation of Charles) or slender (via Gaelic roots).
Origin and history
Kale is used in U.S. English both as a Hawaiian form of Charles and as a modern variant of names like Cale or Kaelan. While it shares its spelling with the leafy green vegetable, it gained moderate usage as a given name in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It remains a relatively rare name for boys in the United States today.
Popularity in the United States
7,379 babies in the United States have been named Kale since 1880. It ranks #1408 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1809.
States where it is most popular
- TX (8 %)
- CA (7.5 %)
- MO (6.7 %)
- KS (6.3 %)
- OK (5.9 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 6 |
| 1920-1930 | 11 |
| 1930-1940 | 5 |
| 1940-1950 | 6 |
| 1950-1960 | 41 |
| 1960-1970 | 117 |
| 1970-1980 | 322 |
| 1980-1990 | 745 |
| 1990-2000 | 1,070 |
| 2000-2010 | 2,879 |
| 2010-2019 | 2,059 |
| 2020-2029 | 118 |
Famous people named Kale
- Kale Clague: ice hockey player
Fun facts
- In Hawaiian, Kale is the traditional adaptation of the Germanic name Charles.
- Although spelled the same as the popular leafy green vegetable, its adoption as a name predates the recent culinary trend.