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Kali

Portrait of full length adorable Asian baby girl in pink clothes crawling on floor, isolated on white background.

Kali

Updated: by Sarah Nance

The baby name Kali could be an alternative spelling of Kayleigh, but it is more than likely a Hindu name. In Indian culture, this baby's name is literally the goddess of destruction. Despite this dark origin, Kali remains a top 300 name in America. Let's find out what the name Kali means and other pertinent details about the name.

Meaning of the name Kali:

Sanskrit: black one
Indian: maiden, bud

Origin of the name Kali:

In Sanskrit, the baby name Kali means “the black one,” while in Indian, it means “maiden” or “bud.” It began with the name of the goddess of destruction in the Hindu culture that is popular in the country. Some state, however, that the name could be a derivative of the name Kayleigh in modern culture.

Symbolism of the name Kali:

The baby's name, Kali, comes from the alternative name of a Hindu goddess who was married to Shiva. She is known as the goddess of destruction, which is why the meaning of the name is “the black one” in Sanskrit. When considering the meaning of “maiden” or “bud” in Indian, it could have been for servants of the goddess.

Nicknames for the name Kali:

Baby name Kali

Style of the name Kali:

Classical

Gender of the name Kali:

Kali is a girl's name.

Pronunciation of the name Kali:

KAH-lee in traditional pronunciation or Kay-lee if an alternative form of Kayleigh

Number of syllables in the name Kali:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Kali:

Kali feels lighthearted and fun, but when considering its meaning, it is actually a very serious name. This gives it a bit more strength.

Alternative spellings for the name Kali:

Popularity of the name Kali:

Kali has only been a top 1,000 name for girls in America since 1982. In the past couple of years, it has received the highest rankings ever on the top 300 list. As of 2020, for instance, Kali is rank 252.

Great middle names for Kali and their meanings:

Famous people with the name Kali:

  • Kali Hawk (actress, “Couples Retreat”)
  • Kali Uchis (singer, “After the Storm”)
  • Kali Robinson (daughter of the singer of We the Kings)
  • Kali (character from “Teen Wolf”)
  • Kali (Hindu goddess of destruction)
  • Kali (character from “Supernatural”)
  • Kali (character from “Penny Dreadful”)
  • Kali Belladonna (character from “RWBY”)
  • Kali Prasad (character from “Stranger Things”)

The image featured at the top of this post is ©szefei/Shutterstock.com.

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