| Kali | Diya | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | the black one | Lamp, light |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | KAH-lee | DEE-yuh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1957 | 1991 |
| Peak year | 2019 (1,312) | 2009 (309) |
| In 2025 | 948 | 119 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Kali | Diya |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,625 | 789 |
| 2010s | 9,909 | 2,313 |
| 2000s | 5,759 | 1,916 |
| 1990s | 6,848 | 61 |
| 1980s | 2,752 | 0 |
| 1970s | 526 | 0 |
| 1960s | 87 | 0 |
| 1950s | 21 | 0 |
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.
From the Hindi दीया (diyā), 'an oil lamp', descended from the Sanskrit dīpa ('lamp, light'). A genuine, everyday Hindi word evoking the lamps of Diwali.
Kali is more popular than Diya today: about 948 US babies were given the name Kali in 2025, compared with 119 named Diya.
Kali means the black one (sanskrit origin), while Diya means Lamp, light (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Kali first appears in 1957 and Diya in 1991, so Kali has the longer recorded history.