Kali Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Girl Names Like Kali

Kali Name Origin: Indian (Sanskrit)
Pronunciation: kahl-ee
See what 12 people think about Kali

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Kali Name Meaning

In Hinduism, the meaning of Kali is the “black one” as it is associated with time, change and destruction. But Kali is also considered a loving mother and protector of her devotees. She is also associated with empowerment and overcoming obstacles, making her a powerful and popular goddess among Hindus.

Origins of the Name Kali

Kali is a Hindu goddess, known for her fierce, destroyer aspect. She’s often depicted as a dark-skinned woman with wild, unkempt hair, and she’s usually shown holding a sword or trident. But despite her fearsome appearance, Kali is actually considered to be a benevolent goddess who destroys evil and protects her devotees.

The name Kali is derived from the Sanskrit word “kala,” which means “time” or “black.” In Hinduism, Kali is often associated with time and change, as she is seen as the destroyer of the old, making way for the new.

Popularity of the Name Kali

Kali is not a very popular name for girls. In fact, it’s not even in the top 1000 names for baby girls in the United States. So, if you do decide to name your daughter Kali, she’ll likely be one of a kind. But that’s not a bad thing, is it? Being unique is pretty cool, after all.

Final Thoughts on the Name Kali

If you’re thinking of naming your little girl Kali, you might be wondering what kind of person she’ll grow up to be. Will she be a fierce warrior, striking fear in the hearts of her enemies? A powerful goddess, worshipped and revered by all?

In conclusion, Kali is not a name that strikes fear in the hearts of anyone. It’s a pretty cool name with an interesting history and meaning. It’s not a very popular name, but that means your daughter will be unique. And let’s face it, being unique is pretty cool. Just make sure you explain the meaning and origin of the name to her, so she knows what she’s representing.

Kali Name Popularity

How popular is the name Kali? Here’s everything we know.

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	—	0	0%
1911	—	0	0%
1912	—	0	0%
1913	—	0	0%
1914	—	0	0%
1915	—	0	0%
1916	—	0	0%
1917	—	0	0%
1918	—	0	0%
1919	—	0	0%
1920	—	0	0%
1921	—	0	0%
1922	—	0	0%
1923	—	0	0%
1924	—	0	0%
1925	—	0	0%
1926	—	0	0%
1927	—	0	0%
1928	—	0	0%
1929	—	0	0%
1930	—	0	0%
1931	—	0	0%
1932	—	0	0%
1933	—	0	0%
1934	—	0	0%
1935	—	0	0%
1936	—	0	0%
1937	—	0	0%
1938	—	0	0%
1939	—	0	0%
1940	—	0	0%
1941	—	0	0%
1942	—	0	0%
1943	—	0	0%
1944	—	0	0%
1945	—	0	0%
1946	—	0	0%
1947	—	0	0%
1948	—	0	0%
1949	—	0	0%
1950	—	0	0%
1951	—	0	0%
1952	—	0	0%
1953	—	0	0%
1954	—	0	0%
1955	—	0	0%
1956	—	0	0%
1957	—	0	0%
1958	—	0	0%
1959	—	0	0%
1960	—	0	0%
1961	—	0	0%
1962	—	0	0%
1963	—	0	0%
1964	—	0	0%
1965	—	0	0%
1966	—	0	0%
1967	—	0	0%
1968	—	0	0%
1969	—	0	0%
1970	—	0	0%
1971	1,454	30	0.002%
1972	2,690	5	0.0004%
1973	2,083	9	0.0007%
1974	1,381	32	0.0025%
1975	1,829	15	0.0012%
1976	2,341	7	0.0005%
1977	2,861	5	0.0004%
1978	2,116	12	0.0009%
1979	2,727	6	0.0004%
1980	1,504	35	0.0024%
1981	1,114	74	0.005%
1982	962	105	0.007%
1983	817	134	0.0091%
1984	606	249	0.0167%
1985	602	270	0.0178%
1986	555	315	0.0209%
1987	573	296	0.0194%
1988	579	306	0.0196%
1989	498	427	0.0265%
1990	438	531	0.032%
1991	452	520	0.0319%
1992	407	590	0.037%
1993	405	572	0.0367%
1994	388	612	0.0399%
1995	344	732	0.0486%
1996	331	824	0.055%
1997	343	781	0.0528%
1998	396	662	0.0442%
1999	372	744	0.0497%
2000	426	629	0.0412%
2001	468	553	0.0367%
2002	530	471	0.0314%
2003	558	460	0.0302%
2004	533	492	0.0323%
2005	518	525	0.0343%
2006	542	509	0.0325%
2007	469	647	0.041%
2008	496	579	0.0375%
2009	496	567	0.0379%
2010	535	498	0.0346%
2011	485	563	0.0395%
2012	401	726	0.0509%
2013	359	830	0.0583%
2014	254	1,226	0.0841%
2015	263	1,146	0.0788%
2016	294	1,057	0.0733%
2017	291	1,056	0.0757%
2018	271	1,151	0.0838%
2019	233	1,284	0.0948%
2020	255	1,124	0.0883%
2021	280	1,019	0.0834%
2022	249	1,202	0.0911%
2023	291	1,045	0.0807%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Kali

If you like Kali, you’ll love these other names like Kali.

What names are variants of Kali?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Kali.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Kalli	Cup; fairest, most beautiful; beautiful, lovely; black	Indian (Sanskrit)

What names sound like Kali?

If you like how Kali sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Kali.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Cali	Beautiful one	Greek
Kaeli	Slender	Gaelic
Kahli		Greek
Kaili	Slender	Gaelic
Kalei	The flower wreath; the beloved	Polynesian
Kalia	The flower wreath; the beloved	Polynesian
Kalie	Darling, beloved; slender	Gaelic
Kaly	Beautiful, lovely; darling, beloved	Greek
Kayli	Slender	Gaelic
Kyli

What names are similar to Kali?

Find a name that’s like Kali, but just a little bit different.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Kala

Lists With Kali

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Kali.

Siblings of Kali

Mamas with kids named Kali also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Scott	From Scotland, a Scotsman	English
Lexi	Defender of man	Greek

Sophia	Wisdom	Greek

Share Your Thoughts

12 Comments

R Hopkins Aug 31 at 8:42 pm

I named my daughter Kali because I loved the name but did not know the meaning and what it represented; however, I could not have chosen a more perfect name . She is strong and independent as they come and happens to be a goddess in my eyes.

Reply
kali Apr 26 at 10:53 pm

this is my name, the meaning was taken into consideration from a baby book, my mom says she read “the mother of time, therefore the mother of everything in this world, but she chose to pronounce it Kay-Lee. i’m always correcting people, but atleast it’s unique i guess

Reply
- Kali May 13 at 4:04 pm
  
  Same here! But my name is pronounced Kal-ee.
  
  Reply
kali Dec 6 at 7:16 pm

wow this name reminds me of a certain someone..

Reply
Dakota Jul 20 at 11:49 am

I had Kali early in my life and I loved the uniqueness of her name and the strength of its meaning in India and in Greek it means rosebud which I love to death!

Reply
Vanessa Feb 12 at 2:57 pm

The most beautiful

Reply
Melanie Oct 24 at 2:04 pm

It’s uncommon and beautiful.

Reply
alesha Dec 24 at 10:59 pm

It’s absolutely beautiful I wouldn’t change it. No I didn’t gets if from california. I wanted 4 letters that end in I and it just seemed perfect. It was natural.

Reply
Darron Jul 1 at 7:38 pm

I chose this name because I was born in California. I like it because it is simple and unique with the letter “K”. It means dark goddess/energy.

Reply
- Kali Jul 8 at 6:47 pm
  
  I love how I can get information on my name
  
  Reply
  - kali Dec 6 at 7:17 pm
    
    omg twins
    
    Reply
  - Kali Mar 30 at 12:26 pm
    
    My names is kali and I love thee name when my teachers looked up my name I was embarrassed but when I look it up I was happy
    
    Reply

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