Fun Facts About the Name Calgary
- 5 babies named Calgary: U.S. records list 5 babies given the name Calgary from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Calgary Mean?
Calgary is a transferred place name rather than a traditional personal name. It comes from the Scottish Gaelic place name Cala ghearraidh, usually translated as "beach of the meadow" and sometimes as "bay of the meadow." The first element, cala, is a word for a bay or haven; the second is a form of geàrraidh, meaning "meadow" or "pasture." The English form Calgary is an anglicized spelling and pronunciation of that Gaelic name.
Its meaning is therefore the meaning of the Gaelic place name, not a separate personal-name etymology. The Canadian city of Calgary also takes its name from Calgary House on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, so the city and the rare given name share the same Scottish place-name background.
Calgary Name History & Origins
The Scottish place name Calgary is attached to Calgary Bay and Calgary House, also called Calgary Castle, on the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides. The Gaelic form Cala ghearraidh was anglicized as Calgary, and the name belonged to that Hebridean place before it became widely known through Canada.
In 1876, Colonel James Macleod of the North-West Mounted Police named Fort Calgary, at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, after Calgary House on Mull. The fort grew into the town and later the city of Calgary, Alberta. As a personal name, Calgary is rare and is best understood as a transferred place name; it has no long independent history as a Gaelic or English given name.
How Popular is the Name Calgary?
Calgary has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #15,357 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #15,357 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Calgary Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are cheerful and friendly, but are apt to have an emotional life. You like to have several lines of effort going at once. You are a good talker and promoter and seldom worry over anything. At times, you can be impatient, and impulsive. You have the ability to bring an idea to completion. You can express yourself joyously and constructively. You might be psychic, but not know it. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Calgary's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Calgary's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.