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Home › Baby Names Directory › Cala

Cala

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAH-lah /ˈkɑː.lə/Medium

Meaning: A short name with several possible routes: Arabic qal'a ('castle; fortress'), Spanish cala ('a small cove; inlet'), or a short form of Callie/Calla. No single fixed source; routes uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: A short, soft name: Cala can mean 'castle,' 'a small cove,' or shorten Callie (said 'KAH-lah'). Routes are uncertain, which we note.
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Origin LowArabic, Spanish
MeaningA short name with several possible routes: Arabic qal'a ('castle; fortress'), Spanish cala ('a small cove; inlet'), or a short form of Callie/Calla. No single fixed source; routes uncertain.
U.S. rank (2025)#10250 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births9 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1990
Total births (all-time)≈ 502

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199019502025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cala may trace to Arabic qal'a ('castle'), Spanish cala ('a small cove; inlet'), or a short form of Callie. As such it has no single fixed source, which we note — a short, soft name, rare in the U.S. (said 'KAH-lah').

It appears rarely in the U.S., across several traditions. Rare, short, and soft.

Did you know? Cala carries several routes — Arabic for 'castle; fortress,' Spanish for 'a small cove,' or a short form of Callie — a crisp two-beat name whose source is layered, which we note (said 'KAH-lah').
Overall data confidence 36%
References — Cala — Arabic 'castle' / Spanish 'cove' / short for Callie; routes uncertain

Variations

CallaKalaCallie

Nicknames

CaliLala

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Cala…

Calla— a near-twin in sound and spelling
Callie— the name it can shorten
Cove— a like coastal nature word
Laila— a like short soft name

Explore names like Cala

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cala mean?

Cala may mean 'castle' (Arabic), 'a small cove' (Spanish), or shorten Callie. The routes are uncertain, which we note.

How do you pronounce Cala?

It's said KAH-lah /ˈkɑː.lə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cala a boy or girl name?

Cala is a girl's name.

How popular is Cala?

Cala is a rare name in the U.S.

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