Kali is a Sanskrit name meaning "the black one", the feminine of kala, "black", and the name of the fierce Hindu goddess of time and destruction. In the United States most parents use it as a fresh spelling of Callie or Kaylee rather than for the goddess. Kali ranked 427th in 2000, climbed to a peak of number 242 in 2019 and stands at 323 among girls' names in 2025.