Fun Facts About the Name Kallista
- 896 babies named Kallista: U.S. records list 896 babies given the name Kallista from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kallista Mean?
Kallista is a feminine name of Greek origin meaning "most beautiful." It comes from the Greek adjective kalos (καλός), meaning "beautiful," "good," or "noble," through its superlative kallistos (κάλλιστος), "most beautiful." The Greek feminine superlative is kallistē (καλλίστη), while kallista (κάλλιστα) is the neuter plural form; the name's -a ending also matches the Latin feminine spelling Callista, which is how the name was usually written in Western Europe.
The spellings Kallista, Callista, and Calista all carry the same "most beautiful" sense. The meaning is a literal rendering of the Greek superlative, not a symbolic reading attached to the name later.
Kallista Name History & Origins
The word behind the name belongs to classical Greek. The same superlative kallistos underlies the name Kallistō (Καλλιστώ), borne by a nymph in Greek myth who was linked to Artemis and later to the constellation Ursa Major. Callisto is a distinct name with its own history; it shares only the root meaning "beautiful."
A masculine name from the same superlative, Callistus (also written Callixtus), entered early Christian use and was borne by a third-century pope, Callixtus I, as well as by other saints. The feminine Callista developed in Latin alongside it and passed into later European languages.
In English, the spellings Calista and Callista appear in writing by the early eighteenth century. The heroine of Nicholas Rowe's tragedy The Fair Penitent (1703) is named Calista, a well-known literary use of the name. The spelling Kallista keeps the Greek kappa in transliteration, while Callista and Calista follow the Latin and English tradition.
How Popular is the Name Kallista?
Kallista 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 2001. Its best rank was #2,580 in 2001.
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 | #5,819 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2024 | #9,197 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2023 | #10,704 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #8,772 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #8,245 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2020 | #6,188 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2019 | #9,401 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #7,943 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #7,634 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #5,369 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2015 | #5,928 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2014 | #7,143 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2013 | #5,069 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2012 | #5,034 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2011 | #4,745 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2010 | #5,874 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2009 | #6,201 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2008 | #4,588 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2007 | #4,520 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2006 | #4,513 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2005 | #3,383 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2004 | #2,979 | 53 | 0.0029% |
| 2003 | #3,498 | 41 | 0.0022% |
| 2002 | #3,548 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 2001 | #2,580 | 59 | 0.0033% |
| 2000 | #2,614 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 1999 | #2,656 | 53 | 0.0030% |
| 1998 | #2,784 | 48 | 0.0027% |
| 1997 | #9,387 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #10,006 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #7,267 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #7,854 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #8,340 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #14,283 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #12,039 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #13,316 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #12,142 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #8,968 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #8,735 | 7 | 0.0004% |
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 Kallista Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. 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.
✦ Kallista's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kallista's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.