Caleb
Caleb is a boys' name of Hebrew origin meaning “faithful, devoted, whole-hearted.” It ranked #42 in the United States in 2025. In the Hebrew Bible, Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to scout Canaan, notable for his faithfulness.
how do you pronounce Caleb?
KAY-leb
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Caleb mean?
The name Caleb means “faithful, devoted, whole-hearted.” It comes from the Hebrew language tradition.
In the Hebrew Bible, Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to scout Canaan, notable for his faithfulness. The name has remained popular in English-speaking countries for centuries.
where does the name Caleb come from?
From the Hebrew כָּלֵב, which is most straightforwardly read as dog — an unflattering derivation that commentators have long tried to soften by connecting it instead to a root meaning whole-hearted, drawing on the phrase used of him in Numbers.
the history of Caleb
Caleb and Joshua are the only two of the twelve scouts sent into Canaan to bring back a favourable report, and the only two of their generation permitted to enter the land as a result — the text repeatedly says Caleb followed wholeheartedly. English Puritans took the name up enthusiastically and carried it to New England.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2024 | #42 |
| 2023 | #41 |
| 2022 | #40 |
| 2021 | #38 |
| 2020 | #36 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Caleb?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Caleb?
- Caleb Followill
- Caleb McLaughlin
- Caleb Johnson
what names are similar to Caleb?
what names go well with Caleb?
Sibling names that share Caleb's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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