How to say it
CAL · lie
ˈkæl.i
Feminine
Callie
Beautiful
What it means
English diminutive of Caroline, California, or Calliope (Greek 'beautiful voice'). All three roots converge on the meaning 'beautiful' (the Greek kallos). Grey's Anatomy's Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez, 2006-2016) anchored the modern English-language use.
Callie is an English diminutive of several names that share the Greek root kallos ('beauty'): Caroline, California, Calliope (the muse of epic poetry, 'beautiful voice'), or Callista ('most beautiful'). The standalone Callie spelling has been in US use since the 19th century, originally as a Southern American short. Grey's Anatomy's Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez, 2006-2016) gave the name its decisive 21st-century English-language anchor. As a US given name Callie entered the top 500 in 2007 and the top 200 by 2018. Single short; Callie is already a short.
How to spell Callie
The standard spelling is Callie. Common variants include Cali, Kalie, Kallie, but Callie is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #124 in 1880, currently #175 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Grey's Anatomy's Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez, 2006-2016) is the dominant US English-language anchor for the modern usage.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Callie Torres Sara Ramirez's character in Grey's Anatomy, 2006-2016
Spelling variants
- Cali
- Kalie
- Kallie
Names with the same feeling
See Callie from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Callie mean?
- English diminutive of Caroline, California, or Calliope (Greek 'beautiful voice'). All three roots converge on the meaning 'beautiful' (the Greek kallos). Grey's Anatomy's Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez, 2006-2016) anchored the modern English-language use.
- What does Callie mean in Greek?
- In Greek, Callie means "Beautiful." Callie is an English diminutive of several names that share the Greek root kallos ('beauty'): Caroline, California, Calliope (the muse of epic poetry, 'beautiful voice'), or Callista ('most beautiful'). The standalone Callie spelling has been in US use since the 19th century, originally as a Southern American short. Grey's Anatomy's Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez, 2006-2016) gave the name its decisive 21st-century English-language anchor. As a US given name Callie entered the top 500 in 2007 and the top 200 by 2018. Single short; Callie is already a short.
- Is Callie short for Caroline?
- Yes. Callie is a short form of Caroline, and it carries the same meaning, "Beautiful." These days many parents use Callie as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Callie?
- Callie is pronounced ˈkæl.i. Say it as CAL-lie, with the stress on the "cal" syllable.
- How do you spell Callie?
- The standard spelling is Callie. Common spelling variants include Cali, Kalie, Kallie.
- Is Callie a boy or girl name?
- Callie is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Callie?
- Callie ranked #175 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.