In the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, the name Cale — which was being given to hundreds of baby boys per year — debuted impressively in the girls’ data:
- 2008: 14 baby girls named Cale
- 2007: 17 baby girls named Cale
- 2006: 34 baby girls named Cale [debut]
- 2005: unlisted
- 2004: unlisted
(The similar name Kale also saw higher usage for girls around that time.)
What was behind this sudden interest in Cale as a girl name?
A little girl named Cale in the family-friendly film Dreamer, which was released in October of 2005.
The movie’s main characters were Kentucky horse trainer Ben Crane (played by Kurt Russell) and his school-age daughter Cale (played by Dakota Fanning).
When Ben refused to euthanize an injured racehorse named Soñador (“Sonya”), he was given the horse — then promptly fired. While Ben tried to fix his family’s precarious financial situation, Cale developed a strong bond with the animal. Sonya went on to make a full recovery, but would she ever race again?
The film was loosely based on the recovery story of racehorse Mariah’s Storm. (I don’t know the story behind the horse’s name, but “Mariah’s Storm” is reminding me of the 1940s book Storm, which featured a cyclone whose name was spelled like Maria, but pronounced like Mariah.)
What are your thoughts on the baby name Cale? Do you prefer it as a boy name, or as a girl name?
Sources: Dreamer (2005 film) – Wikipedia, SSA
Image: Screenshot of Dreamer
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