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At a Glance: Name: Calla – Meaning: uncertain (disputed ancient reading, possibly 'cup' or 'husk') – Origin: Latin (botanical name, root disputed) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: KAL-ah
Calla is pronounced KAL-ah, drawn from Latin as a botanical name whose root is still disputed among scholars. You may have heard it means "beautiful," but that idea actually comes from the unrelated Greek word kalos — the real root most likely points to "cup" or "husk" instead. It has a clean, modern, minimalist feel to it.
Meaning & Origin of Calla
Meaning: Uncertain (disputed ancient reading, possibly 'cup' or 'husk').
Origin: Latin (botanical name, root disputed).
A common claim: Beautiful Actually: Calla is widely said to mean 'beautiful' (Greek kalos), but that's folk etymology; the botanical root actually traces to a disputed ancient reading, most likely 'cup/husk.'
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Calla
Phonetic: KAL-ah IPA: /ˈkælə/
Popularity of Calla
Calla shows up in U.S. baby name records from 1880 through 2024. It hit its highest rank, #633, back in 1881 with just 8 babies given the name, and by 2024 it ranked #1514, given to 142 babies that year.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Calla Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Calla, 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.
FAQ
What does the name Calla mean?
Uncertain (disputed ancient reading, possibly ‘cup’ or ‘husk’). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Calla)
How do you pronounce Calla?
Calla is pronounced KAL-ah (IPA: /ˈkælə/).
Is Calla a popular name right now?
Calla peaked at #633 in 1881 and is ranked #1514 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Calla? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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