How to say it
CAL · lum
/ˈkæl.əm/
Masculine
Callum
Dove
What it means
Scottish form of the Latin Columba ('dove'). Saint Columba (521-597), the Irish monk who founded the monastery on Iona and brought Christianity to Scotland, is the deepest historical anchor.
Callum is the Scottish form of the Latin Columba, meaning 'dove.' Saint Columba (Colum Cille in Irish, 521-597) was the Irish monk who founded the monastery on the Scottish island of Iona in 563 and is credited with bringing Christianity to Scotland. The name remained common across Scotland and Ireland and is a top-50 staple in the UK and Scotland. In the US it's been steadily climbing since 2010. Callum Turner the actor (Fantastic Beasts, The Boys in the Boat) and Callum Keith Rennie the actor (Battlestar Galactica) are modern English-language reference points. Common short: Cal.
Popularity over time
peaked at #118 in 2025, currently #118 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Callum (double L) is the modern Scottish English spelling; Calum (single L) is the older Gaelic form. Colm is the Irish form.
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.
- Saint Columba Irish monk, founded the monastery on Iona in 563, brought Christianity to Scotland
Spelling variants
- Calum
- Colm
- Columba
Names with the same feeling
See Callum from another angle
By meaning
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