A name. A world of connections.

Kaleva

A given name in Finnish

masculineLatin script

[ˈkɑ̝le̞ʋɑ̝] · Finnish

Origin: Not established
1 language contexts: Finnish
Follow the evidence: 4 cited sources Source-reported

01 / Meaning & origin

About Kaleva

Kaleva is a masculine given name documented in Finnish. English Wiktionary records an etymology for it.

Etymology in the sources

Source-reported

Probably from Proto-Finnic *kalëga (compare Estonian kalev, Karelian kaleva, possibly Old English Cælic (“a Finnish king”)), and more distantly related to the first component in Northern Sami gállagasdolat. Alternatively, according to Heikkilä (2012), borrowed from late Proto-Norse *ᚺᛚᛖᚹᚨᛉ (*χᵃléwaz) (whence Old Norse Hlér). Attested as a surname since at least the 16th century, while the given name was first used in the late 19th century.

Sources for this account (3)

Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Greek Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Russian Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

02 / Across borders

Where Kaleva is used

Explore published naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.

The name atlas

Across borders

countries in our sources

Select a country to follow Kaleva’s connections around the world.

1 countries with published statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.

Selected country

Finland

Statistics + language records

Finland, 2026: 48 male (rank 1511). Documented as a given name in Finnish.

Explore Finland

1 of 1 countries

03 / By the numbers

Popularity over time

Follow the spelling through the years, one published dataset at a time.

Finland

2026 Spelling: Kaleva

Region and dataset

Recorded category male

Latest · 2026: 48; people; Rank #1,511
Peak year: 2026; 48 people

Hover to explore a year. Use arrow keys when a chart point has focus.

Source: Digital and Population Data Services Agency · Finland — first given names of living Finnish citizens in Finland or abroad, 2026-08-03

Published integer counts retained without rounding.

Per million is unavailable: this source has no matching published total.

Show the data table

Kaleva in Finland, male: people and rank by year
Year	People	Rank	Status
2026	48	1,511	observed

About this dataset and its counting rules

Statistics count the spelling “Kaleva” as recorded by the publisher. When a spelling has several independent origins, the counts are not split between them. Counts measure people. Gaps are years without a published value, not zeros.

Rates per million are unavailable for this series because no compatible denominator has been imported.

Universe: Current first given names of living Finnish citizens residing in Finland or abroad in the Population Information System as of 2026-08-03; extracted 2026-08-04. Foreign citizens, deceased persons and former names excluded. Only the first-name sheets are used.
Rounding: Published integer counts retained without rounding.
Suppression: Names occurring fewer than five times are omitted. Absence is unknown, not zero.
Ranking: computed by NameStoria from published counts; ties share a rank, next rank skips

Released 2026-08-04 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · CC-BY-4.0

Read our methodology

04 / Through time

History

Notable bearers

People recorded with this given name in Wikidata. Their names may use a different spelling, or include it as a middle or baptismal name.

Urho Kekkonen
1900–1986
eighth President of Finland (1900–1986)
Recorded as a middle or baptismal name
Wikipedia Wikidata source

A little story to keep

A name worth keeping.

Take the story of Kaleva with you. Create a personal name passport with its meaning, roots and connections.

06 / Behind the facts

Sources for this page

Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-15.

Name origins & languageDictionaries, name records and related forms4

Wikidata Q2061845CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Greek Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Russian Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

Statistics and surveysPublishers, dataset licences and retrieval dates1

Finland — first given names of living Finnish citizens in Finland or abroad, 2026-08-03
Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland · CC-BY-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.

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About Kaleva

Kaleva is a masculine given name documented in Finnish. English Wiktionary records an etymology for it.

Etymology in the sources

Source-reported

Sources for this account (3)

Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Greek Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Russian Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

Where Kaleva is used

Explore published naming statistics and documented language connections around the world.

The name atlas

Across borders

countries in our sources

Select a country to follow Kaleva’s connections around the world.

1 countries with published statistics. Language records show cultural connections; they do not measure how common a name is.

Selected country

Finland

Statistics + language records

Finland, 2026: 48 male (rank 1511). Documented as a given name in Finnish.

Explore Finland

1 of 1 countries

Popularity over time

Follow the spelling through the years, one published dataset at a time.

Finland

2026 Spelling: Kaleva

Region and dataset

Recorded category male

Latest · 2026: 48; people; Rank #1,511
Peak year: 2026; 48 people

Hover to explore a year. Use arrow keys when a chart point has focus.

Source: Digital and Population Data Services Agency · Finland — first given names of living Finnish citizens in Finland or abroad, 2026-08-03

Published integer counts retained without rounding.

Per million is unavailable: this source has no matching published total.

Show the data table

Kaleva in Finland, male: people and rank by year
Year	People	Rank	Status
2026	48	1,511	observed

About this dataset and its counting rules

Rates per million are unavailable for this series because no compatible denominator has been imported.

Universe: Current first given names of living Finnish citizens residing in Finland or abroad in the Population Information System as of 2026-08-03; extracted 2026-08-04. Foreign citizens, deceased persons and former names excluded. Only the first-name sheets are used.
Rounding: Published integer counts retained without rounding.
Suppression: Names occurring fewer than five times are omitted. Absence is unknown, not zero.
Ranking: computed by NameStoria from published counts; ties share a rank, next rank skips

Released 2026-08-04 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · CC-BY-4.0

Read our methodology

Sources for this page

Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-15.

Name origins & languageDictionaries, name records and related forms4

Wikidata Q2061845CC0-1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Greek Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15
Russian Wiktionary: KalevaCC-BY-SA-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-14

Statistics and surveysPublishers, dataset licences and retrieval dates1

Finland — first given names of living Finnish citizens in Finland or abroad, 2026-08-03
Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland · CC-BY-4.0 · retrieved 2026-10-15

Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.

Kaleva

About Kaleva

Etymology in the sources

Where Kaleva is used

Across borders

Finland

Popularity over time

Finland

History

Notable bearers

Urho Kekkonen

Kalervo

Kalevi

A name worth keeping.

Sources for this page

Kaleva

About Kaleva

Etymology in the sources

Where Kaleva is used

Across borders

Finland

Popularity over time

Finland

History

Notable bearers

Urho Kekkonen

Kalervo

Kalevi

A name worth keeping.

Sources for this page

A story to pass on.

About Kaleva

Etymology in the sources

Where Kaleva is used

Across borders

Finland

Popularity over time

Finland

History

Notable bearers

Urho Kekkonen

Related names

Different forms. Shared stories.

Meet the family

Related names in the catalogue

Kalervo

Kalevi

A name worth keeping.

Sources for this page

A story to pass on.

About Kaleva

Etymology in the sources

Where Kaleva is used

Across borders

Finland

Popularity over time

Finland

History

Notable bearers

Urho Kekkonen

Related names

Different forms. Shared stories.

Meet the family

Related names in the catalogue

Kalervo

Kalevi

A name worth keeping.

Sources for this page