StorkWorldstorkworld com

Kali vs Anaya

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.
KaliAnaya
Meaning the black one disputed; 'without a superior' (Indian) or 'God answered' (Hebrew)
Origin sanskrit sanskrit
Gender Girl Girl
Pronunciation KAH-lee uh-NAH-yah
Syllables 2 3
First appeared19571978
Peak year2019 (1,312)2025 (911)
In 2025948911
TrendRisingNear its peak
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Kali Anaya
1960198020002020

Source: US Social Security Administration.

Births by decade

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

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.

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').

Frequently asked questions

Is Kali or Anaya 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 Kali and Anaya?

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

Which name is older, Kali or Anaya?

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