Cali

When parents give their daughter the first name Cali, they’re probably not thinking about California. They might just be looking for a cute, short name that stands out in a roomful of Emmas and Olivias. Since it’s an invented 20th-century name, Cali has no confirmed history. If you’re thinking of Cali as a nickname for Calista, then the origin is Latin and the meaning is “cup” (Latin) or possibly “fairest, beautiful, lovely” (Greek).