What Does the Name Caleb Mean?

Caleb is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning “dog; or faithful, devotion.”

Updated June 2026

Name	Caleb
Gender	male
Origin	Hebrew
Meaning	dog; or faithful, devotion
Variants	Kaleb, Kayleb, Cale, Calev
Popularity	A long-standing US Top 40 boys' name, popular among both religious and secular families since the late 20th century.

The meaning and origin of Caleb

The name Caleb means “dog; or faithful, devotion” and has Hebrew origins. Caleb derives from the Hebrew name Kalev, often interpreted as 'dog' (a symbol of loyalty) or connected to a root meaning 'whole-hearted.' In the Bible, Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan and one of only two permitted to enter the Promised Land for his faith.

Variants and related names

Caleb is related to several other names you may recognize: Kaleb, Kayleb, Cale, Calev. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Caleb?

A long-standing US Top 40 boys' name, popular among both religious and secular families since the late 20th century.

Popularity matters when you need believable test data: a name that fits the era or region you are modeling makes a generated profile look real. You can generate a complete fictional profile using the name Caleb below.

Generate a fake Caleb profile

Need a complete fictional identity using the name Caleb? Generate a full profile — address, phone, email and more — for testing and privacy.