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Home › Baby Names Directory › Callie

Callie

♀ Girl

Pronounced KAL-ee /ˈkæl.i/High

Meaning: Beautiful, lovely — short form of Calliope or Callista, from Greek kallos (beauty)High

In 30 seconds: From the Greek for 'beautiful,' Callie is a sunny, approachable name used both as a nickname and a standalone given name. It carries the warmth of the American South and the classical beauty of its Greek root.
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Origin HighGreek
MeaningBeautiful, lovely — short form of Calliope or Callista, from Greek kallos (beauty)
U.S. rank (2025)#175 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births1,754 girls (0.11% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2014
Total births (all-time)≈ 70,183

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201418802025

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

Callie functions as a short form of several Greek names beginning with kalli- (beautiful): Calliope (beautiful voice), Callista (most beautiful), Calliope, or Callista. The root is Greek kallos, meaning 'beauty.' Callie has also been used independently as a given name, particularly in the American South, since the 19th century.

Callie has been a familiar given name in the United States since the 19th century and gained additional exposure through the character Callie Torres on the television series Grey's Anatomy (2005–2016). It has risen into the U.S. top 200 girls' names in the 2010s, appealing to parents who want something warm, accessible, and classically rooted.

Did you know? Calliope was the eldest and most honored of the nine Muses in Greek mythology — the Muse of epic poetry, whose name means 'beautiful voice.' Homer invoked her at the opening of both The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Variations

CalliCalie

Nicknames

Cal

Famous Bearers

  • ★Callie Torres
    fictional surgeon on Grey's Anatomy played by Sara Ramirez
  • ★Callie Khouri (1957-)
    American screenwriter who wrote Thelma & Louise

If you like Callie…

Gracie— two-syllable -ie ending name with the same sunny, approachable warmth
Ellie— popular two-syllable -ie diminutive with the same friendly, accessible feel
Cassie— a similarly popular pick
Lexie— another Greek name
Zoie— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Callie

By meaningLoveBeauty

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Callie mean?

Callie comes from Greek kallos meaning 'beauty' — it is a short form of names like Calliope ('beautiful voice') or Callista ('most beautiful').

How do you pronounce Callie?

Callie is pronounced KAL-ee /ˈkæl.i/ — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Callie a boy or girl name?

Callie is used as a girls' name.

How popular is Callie?

Callie has been in the U.S. top 200 girls' names since the 2010s and continues to grow.

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