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The short answer
Kali is a feminine name used in Hinduism and Bengali. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Means ‘the black one’, derived from Sanskrit काल (kāla) meaning ‘black’. The Hindu goddess Kali is the fierce destructive form of the wife of Shiva." It ranked #323 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, means ‘the black one’, derived from Sanskrit काल (kāla) meaning ‘black’. The Hindu goddess Kali is the fierce destructive form of the wife of Shiva. The entry lists its usage as Hinduism, Bengali, Tamil.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Kali ranked #323 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #323 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Hinduism) and that sit near Kali in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kali mean?
Kali means "the black one", according to Behind the Name.
Is Kali a popular name?
Kali ranked #323 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Kali a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Kali appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine & masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Kali (1) — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
