Kali

At a Glance: Name: Kali – Meaning: the black one / of time — the Hindu goddess Kali, from Sanskrit kāla – Origin: Sanskrit – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: KAH-lee

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Kali (KAH-lee) is a girl's name from Sanskrit, meaning "the black one" or "of time," and it's the name of the Hindu goddess Kali, from Sanskrit kāla. It has a clean, modern, worldly feel, with a short two-syllable sound that's easy to say and spell.

Meaning & Origin of Kali

Meaning: The black one / of time — the Hindu goddess Kali, from Sanskrit kāla.

Origin: Sanskrit.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Kali

Phonetic: KAH-lee   IPA: /ˈkɑːli/

Popularity of Kali

Kali peaked at #242 in 2019, when 1,311 babies were given the name. In 2024 it ranked #294 with 1,066 babies, so it's still well within the top 300 girls' names.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1957–2024.

Make Kali Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Kali, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Ananya
• Ariya
• Ariyah
• Sanya
• Siya
• Aanya

FAQ

What does the name Kali mean?

The black one / of time — the Hindu goddess Kali, from Sanskrit kāla. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Kali)

How do you pronounce Kali?

Kali is pronounced KAH-lee (IPA: /ˈkɑːli/).

Is Kali a popular name right now?

Kali peaked at #242 in 2019 and is ranked #294 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1957–2024.)

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