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Kale

Boy name · 5 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Kale: 5 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 5 births in 2011.

Kale brings a fresh, modern energy to the Scottish baby name landscape, though its roots are ancient. Derived from the Gaelic *caul* or *càl*, it literally means "cabbage" or "kale," a staple vegetable in the Scottish diet and a traditional symbol of sustenance and resilience – a far cry from the trendy superfood status it enjoys today. In Scotland, it may also be considered a short form of the masculine name Kaleb or a variant of the biblical Caleb. Among famous bearers, Kale Browne is an American actor known for his role on the soap opera *Another World*. While no major places are directly named after a person with this name, the given name shares its vegetable root with Scotland's own "Kailyard School" of literature, a 19th-century movement that took its name from the humble kitchen garden. A notable variant is the Irish spelling Cáil.