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Anaya vs Kali

Which is more popular?
Kali is more popular than Anaya today: about 948 US babies were given the name Kali in 2025, compared with 911 named Anaya.
AnayaKali
Meaning disputed; 'without a superior' (Indian) or 'God answered' (Hebrew) the black one
Origin sanskrit sanskrit
Gender Girl Girl
Pronunciation uh-NAH-yah KAH-lee
Syllables 3 2
First appeared19781957
Peak year2025 (911)2019 (1,312)
In 2025911948
TrendNear its peakRising
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Anaya Kali
1960198020002020

Source: US Social Security Administration.

Births by decade

DecadeAnayaKali
2020s 4,822 6,625
2010s 7,186 9,909
2000s 5,392 5,759
1990s 542 6,848
1980s 42 2,752
1970s 13 526
1960s 0 87
1950s 0 21

What does Anaya mean?

Meaning disputed and cross-cultural. In Indian use it is read from Sanskrit as 'without a superior, one none can lead' (an epithet of Vishnu), though this gloss is weakly attested. The same spelling is independently a Hebrew-origin name (feminine of Anaiah, 'God answered') and an Arabic name ('care, protection').

What does Kali mean?

From Sanskrit 'kali', the feminine of 'kala' meaning 'black, dark'. The name of the fierce Hindu goddess Kali; the sense is often blurred by popular etymology with a second 'kala' meaning 'time'. Include respectfully as a deity name.

Frequently asked questions

Is Anaya or Kali more popular?

Kali is more popular than Anaya today: about 948 US babies were given the name Kali in 2025, compared with 911 named Anaya.

What is the difference between Anaya and Kali?

Anaya means disputed; 'without a superior' (Indian) or 'God answered' (Hebrew) (sanskrit origin), while Kali means the black one (sanskrit origin).

Which name is older, Anaya or Kali?

In US records, Anaya first appears in 1978 and Kali in 1957, so Kali has the longer recorded history.