At a glance
- In short
- Callum is a Scottish name from the Latin Columba, meaning dove.
- U.S. rank 2025
- #118 of boy names
- Babies in 2025
- 2,995 (0.16% of boys)
- Trend
- Rising #336 in 2020 to #118 in 2025
- Peak
- #118 in 2025
- Top state
- #38 in New Hampshire
- First recorded
- 1983
Meaning of Callum
Callum is a Scottish name, a variant spelling of Calum, the Gaelic form of the Late Latin name Columba, meaning dove. In British English it is pronounced KAH-luhm, and in American English KAL-uhm.
The name is closely tied to St. Columba, the 6th-century Irish monk who founded a monastery on the island of Iona and helped spread Christianity in Scotland. Namesakes include Canadian actor Callum Keith Rennie, known for Due South, and English footballer Callum Wilson.
In 2008, Callum ranked only 974th among U.S. boys' names, but it has risen almost every year since. It stood at 449th in 2019 and reached 118th in 2025, its highest rank yet, when a record 2,995 babies were given the name.
How to pronounce Callum
American English
- Pronounced KAL-uhm /ˈkæləm/
British English
- Pronounced KAH-luhm /ˈkɑːləm/
Popularity of Callum in the U.S.
Callum was the #118 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 2,995 babies. It has been in the top 1,000 since 2008. It first appears in the records in 1983.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1983–2025 43 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,995 | 118 | ▲ 40 |
| 2024 | 2,266 | 158 | ▲ 63 |
| 2023 | 1,645 | 221 | ▲ 28 |
| 2022 | 1,417 | 249 | ▲ 24 |
| 2021 | 1,264 | 273 | ▲ 63 |
| 2020 | 968 | 336 | ▲ 113 |
| 2019 | 671 | 449 | ▲ 109 |
| 2018 | 493 | 558 | ▲ 50 |
| 2017 | 433 | 608 | ▲ 98 |
| 2016 | 349 | 706 | ▼ 21 |
| 2015 | 369 | 685 | ▲ 47 |
| 2014 | 327 | 732 | ▲ 50 |
| 2013 | 287 | 782 | ▲ 25 |
| 2012 | 275 | 807 | ▲ 39 |
| 2011 | 253 | 846 | ▼ 1 |
| 2010 | 250 | 845 | ▲ 34 |
| 2009 | 240 | 879 | ▲ 95 |
| 2008 | 205 | 974 | ▲ 114 |
| 2007 | 168 | 1,088 | ▲ 97 |
| 2006 | 142 | 1,185 | ▲ 226 |
| 2005 | 104 | 1,411 | ▼ 37 |
| 2004 | 105 | 1,374 | ▼ 105 |
| 2003 | 112 | 1,269 | ▲ 245 |
| 2002 | 82 | 1,514 | ▼ 85 |
| 2001 | 87 | 1,429 | ▲ 85 |
| 2000 | 79 | 1,514 | ▲ 17 |
| 1999 | 73 | 1,531 | ▲ 210 |
| 1998 | 58 | 1,741 | ▼ 191 |
| 1997 | 66 | 1,550 | ▼ 50 |
| 1996 | 67 | 1,500 | ▲ 341 |
| 1995 | 47 | 1,841 | ▲ 241 |
| 1994 | 39 | 2,082 | ▲ 1,286 |
| 1993 | 19 | 3,368 | ▼ 534 |
| 1992 | 24 | 2,834 | ▲ 628 |
| 1991 | 17 | 3,462 | ▲ 1,211 |
| 1990 | 11 | 4,673 | ▲ 942 |
| 1989 | 8 | 5,615 | ▲ 811 |
| 1988 | 6 | 6,426 | ▼ 967 |
| 1987 | 7 | 5,459 | ▼ 127 |
| 1986 | 7 | 5,332 | ▲ 1,191 |
| 1985 | 5 | 6,523 | ▼ 208 |
| 1984 | 5 | 6,315 | ▼ 831 |
| 1983 | 6 | 5,484 | new |
Callum by state
Callum ranks #38 in New Hampshire (2025).
Rank by state 50 states and DC
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 38 | 30 |
| Nebraska | 49 | 40 |
| Rhode Island | 52 | 17 |
| Maine | 54 | 19 |
| Vermont | 57 | 8 |
| Massachusetts | 59 | 105 |
| Idaho | 60 | 32 |
| Wisconsin | 61 | 87 |
| Iowa | 61 | 51 |
| Oregon | 63 | 57 |
| Montana | 66 | 16 |
| District of Columbia | 66 | 12 |
| Colorado | 69 | 87 |
| South Dakota | 69 | 16 |
| Wyoming | 72 | 6 |
| Indiana | 75 | 98 |
| Ohio | 77 | 148 |
| Utah | 80 | 59 |
| Kansas | 82 | 40 |
| Washington | 84 | 88 |
| Minnesota | 85 | 70 |
| Hawaii | 90 | 10 |
| Alaska | 94 | 8 |
| Pennsylvania | 95 | 134 |
| Virginia | 95 | 94 |
| Oklahoma | 101 | 44 |
| Delaware | 101 | 10 |
| North Dakota | 107 | 11 |
| North Carolina | 108 | 113 |
| Connecticut | 109 | 34 |
| Missouri | 114 | 62 |
| Maryland | 116 | 50 |
| Tennessee | 118 | 79 |
| Michigan | 119 | 84 |
| Arkansas | 120 | 29 |
| West Virginia | 121 | 16 |
| Illinois | 127 | 89 |
| New Jersey | 147 | 66 |
| Kentucky | 149 | 36 |
| South Carolina | 151 | 38 |
| Arizona | 157 | 56 |
| California | 160 | 243 |
| Louisiana | 162 | 31 |
| Texas | 172 | 217 |
| Alabama | 173 | 33 |
| Georgia | 178 | 70 |
| New York | 188 | 106 |
| Florida | 196 | 111 |
| Nevada | 201 | 15 |
| New Mexico | 236 | 8 |
| Mississippi | 259 | 12 |
Notable people named Callum
- Callum James Ferguson is a former Australian cricketer and commentator who played for Australia in all formats, represented South Australia in one-day cricket, and captained the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.
- Callum Hudson-Odoi is an English winger for Premier League club Nottingham Forest.
- Callum Wilson is an English striker for Premier League club West Ham United.
- Callum Keith Rennie is an English born Canadian actor known for Hard Core Logo and Due South, and he won a Genie Award for Last Night.
- Callum Robert Hawkins is a Scottish distance runner and national marathon record holder who ran the 2016 Olympic marathon, ranks sixth all time in Britain for the marathon and second for the half marathon, and holds the Great Scottish Run course record as the first British man to win it in 23 years.
More people named Callum 3 more
- Callum Paul Johnson is a British light heavyweight boxer who won 2010 Commonwealth Games gold, held the Commonwealth and British titles, and challenged for the IBF world title in 2018.
- Callum James Cooke is an English attacking midfielder in professional football.
- Callum Chambers played Australian rules football in the AFL.