Callum

Scottish form of Columba: Latin, "dove"

Callum ticks so many boxes: a friendly sound, a peaceful meaning, Scottish roots and a cool nickname, Cal.

It’s no wonder that it’s a fast-rising boy name in the States. Other Cal- names, like Callan and Callahan, are rising too, but Callum feels softer, and has bonus historical meaning: it’s a Scottish form of the name St Columba, the first missionary to Scotland, whose encounter with the Loch Ness Monster provides the first written account of the beast!

Callum became very popular in Britain in the 1990s, and in Scotland is still in the Top 100 — though in England it’s rapidly on its way to becoming a dad name.