Kalev

The first name Kalev is an Estonian form of Kalevi. Its exact meaning is not clearly defined; it is suspected to be 'the smith' or 'the red cloth.'

What does the name Kalev mean?

Kalev as a boys' name is an Estonian derivation of the name Kalevi. The exact meaning is uncertain and could either include 'the smith' or 'the red cloth.' The name may have its roots in the Estonian word kalev for 'red cloth' or in the Lithuanian kálvis for 'smith.' Additionally, Kalev is also regarded as a Hebrew variant of the name Caleb, which means 'the one with full devotion.' This Hebrew origin may derive from the words kal (כָּל) for 'all,' 'whole,' and lev (לֵב) for 'heart,' or from kâlêb or kélev (כֶּלֶב), meaning 'dog.' In Estonian mythology, Kalev is considered a heroic character. Other variants of the name include Kaleva and Kaleve.

Where does the name Kalev come from?

The etymology of Kalev shows that it is a masculine first name with Estonian and ancient Hebrew roots, meaning 'the smith.' In ancient Hebrew, the name could be derived from the elements kal (כָּל) for 'all,' 'whole,' and lev (לֵב) for 'heart' or from kâlêb or kélev (כֶּלֶב) for 'dog.' The Estonian term kalev means 'red cloth,' while kálvis in Lithuanian means 'smith.' The language of this name is Estonian.

How do you pronounce Kalev?

Ka-lew, where the 'e' is pronounced like in 'bed.'

When is the name day of Kalev?

In Estonia, the name day for Kalev is celebrated on June 23.

Popularity

In Germany, Kalev is a rather rare first name. It has not yet appeared in the German first name charts. In Austria, it reached its best position at 1,508th place in the name charts in 2010. Between 1984 and 2024, Kalev was used as a first name in Austria fewer than 10 times, placing it at 6,220th. There have been no registrations of this name in the last ten years.