Kalle is a masculine given name of

North Germanic The North Germanic languages make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages—a sub-family of the Indo-European languages—along with the West Germanic languages and the extinct East Germanic languages. The language group is also r ...

origin, a variation of

Karl Karl may refer to: People * Karl (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Karl der Große, commonly known in English as Charlemagne * Karl Marx, German philosopher and political writer * Karl of Austria, last Austri ...

. In

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

, people named Karl are commonly nicknamed Kalle. The name is also found in

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...

and

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, an ...

Notable people with the name include:

Given name

* Kalle Anttila (1887–1975), Finnish freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestler and Olympic medalist * Kalle Bask (born 1982), Finnish sailor and Olympic competitor * Kalle Björklund (born 1953), Swedish footballer *

Kalle Brink Karl Henrik Brink (born 12 August 1975) is a Swedish professional golfer who has played on the European Tour and the Challenge Tour. Brink was born in Helsingborg, Sweden. His sister, Maria, is also a professional golfer, who has competed on t ...

(born 1975), Swedish professional golfer * Kalle Coster (born 1982), Dutch sailor and Olympic medalist * Kalle Dalin (born 1975), Swedish orienteering competitor * Kalle Eerola (born 1983), Finnish professional football midfielder * Kalle Eller (born 1940), Estonian poet, publisher, neopagan and writer * Kalle Grünthal (born 1960), Estonian politician * Kalle Havulinna (born 1924), Finnish professional ice hockey player * Kalle Jalkanen (1907–1941), Finnish cross-country skier and Olympic medalist * Kalle Jents (born 1957), Estonian politician * Kalle Jürgenson (born 1960), Estonian astrophysicist and politician * Kalle Kaijomaa (born 1984), Finnish ice hockey defenceman * Kalle Kainuvaara (1891–1943), Finnish diver and Olympic competitor * Kalle Kaljurand (born 1960), Estonian badminton player * Kalle Käsper (born 1952), Estonian author * Kalle Katajisto (born 1991), Finnish motorcycle speedway rider * Kalle Kauppi (born 1992), Finnish footballer * Kalle Keituri (born 1984), Finnish ski jumper and Olympic competitor * Kalle Kiik (born 1963), Estonian chess player and coach *

Kalle Kiiskinen Kalle Kiiskinen (born 6 September 1975 in Hyvinkää) is a Finnish curler. In Juniors, Kiiskinen played for Perttu Piilo and won a silver medal as his third at the 1997 World Junior Curling Championships. Kiiskinen then joined up with ...

(born 1975), Finnish curler and Olympic competitor * Kalle Könkkölä (born 1950), Finnish politician * Kalle Kriit (born 1983), Estonian professional racing cyclist * Kalle Kulbok (born 1956), Estonian politician * Kalle Kurg (born 1942), Estonian poet, writer, critic, translator and editor * Kalle Laanet (born 1965), Estonian politician *

Kalle Lappalainen Kaarlo "Kalle" Kustaa Lappalainen (30 September 1877 – 9 May 1965) was a Finland, Finnish Shooting sports, sport shooter who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. In 1920 he won the silver medal as member of the Finnish team in the Shootin ...

(1877–1965), Finnish sport shooter and Olympic medalist *

Kalle Larsson Karl "Kalle" Larsson (born 1969) is a Swedish politician active in the leadership of the Left Party, and a member of the Riksdag 1998–2010. Following the 2006 party congress Larsson was elected to the Executive Committee of the party. Refer ...

(born 1969), Swedish politician * Kalle Lasn (born 1942), Estonian-born Canadian film maker, author, magazine editor and activist *

Kalle Lassila Kalle Lassila (born January 23, 1985 in Veteli) is a Finnish cross-country skier who has competed since 2005. He finished tenth in the individual sprint event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Lassila's best fi ...

(born 1985), Finnish cross country skier and Olympic competitor * Kalle Maalahti (born 1991), Finnish professional ice hockey player * Kalle Mäkinen (born 1989), Finnish footballer *

Kalle Mattson Kalle Mattson (born Kalle Mattson Wainio, September 21, 1990, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) is a Canadian singer-songwriter based in Ottawa, Ontario. He has performed both as a solo artist and as the leader of an eponymous band. History Wainio ...

(born 1990), Canadian musician * Kalle Mikkonen (born 1976), Finnish sprint canoer and Olympic competitor *

Kalle Moraeus Karl Anders "Kalle" Moraeus (born 15 July 1963) is a Swedish musician, actor, composer and television presenter.Kalle Moraeus, official homepage. http://www.kallemoraeus.com/ Moraeus was born in Mora. He is a member of the folk group Orsa Spelm ...

(born 1963), Swedish musician * Kalle Muuli (born 1958), Estonian journalist, poet and politician * Kalle Multanen (born 1989), Finnish professional footballer * Kalle Nämdeman (1883–1945), Swedish songwriter, performer and recording artist * Kalle Olsson (born 1984), Swedish politician * Kalle Olsson (born 1985), Swedish professional ice hockey player *

Kalle Päätalo Kaarlo (Kalle) Alvar Päätalo (11 November 1919 – 20 November 2000) was a Finnish novelist, the most popular Finnish writer in the 20th century. His ''Iijoki'' series, comprising 26 novels, is one of the longest autobiographical works ever ...

, (1919–2000), Finnish novelist *

Kalle Palander Kalle Markus Palander (born May 2, 1977 in Tornio) is a Finland, Finnish retired alpine skiing, alpine skier, the most successful male Finn ever in the sport. Career In 1999 Palander won the Alpine World Skiing Championships, world championship ...

(born 1977), Finnish alpine skier *

Kalle Palling Kalle Palling (born 27 February 1985 in Käru) is an Estonian politician, representing the Reform Party. Palling was first elected to the Riigikogu The Riigikogu (; from Estonian ''riigi-'', of the state, and ''kogu'', assembly) is the uni ...

(born 1985), Estonian politician * Kalle Parviainen (born 1982), Finnish football striker *

Kalle Randalu Kalle Randalu (born 25 November 1956) is an Estonian pianist. Randalu was born in Tallinn, and trained at the Moscow Conservatory under Lev Vlassenko. In 1981-82 Randalu was awarded two competition prizes: he shared the VII Tchaikovsky Compe ...

(born 1956), Estonian pianist *

Kalle Rovanperä Kalle Rovanperä (; born 1 October 2000 in Jyväskylä) is a Finnish professional rally driver, who competes in the World Rally Championship for Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, alongside co-driver Jonne Halttunen. He is the reigning World Champion. ...

(born 2000), Finnish rally driver * Kalle Samuelsson (born 1986), Swedish Bandy player * Kalle Spjuth (born 1984), Swedish Bandy player *

Kalle Svensson Karl-Oskar Svensson (11 November 1925 – 15 July 2000), often nicknamed Rio-Kalle, was a Swedish football goalkeeper from Helsingborg. He played on elite level for Helsingborgs IF during his whole career, debuting in Allsvenskan only 18 ye ...

(1925–2000), Swedish football goalkeeper * Kalle Tuppurainen (1904–1954), Finnish skier and Olympic competitor * Kalle Varonen (born 1974), Finnish freestyle swimmer * Kalle Vellevoog (born 1963), Estonian architect *

Kalle Westerdahl Kalle Fredrik Åke Sture Westerdahl, born 4 August 1966 in Askim, Gothenburg Municipality) is a Swedish actor. He has travelled around and played his monologue ''Man i djungeln''. Selected filmography *1988 - '' Xerxes'' *1993 - '' Allis med i ...

(born 1966), Swedish film and television actor * Kalle Westerlund (1897–1972), Finnish wrestler and Olympic medalist Fictional characters: * Kalle, a fictional Finnish talk show host portrayed by

Kristen Wiig Kristen Carroll Wiig (; born August 22, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Born in Canandaigua, New York, she was raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Rochester, New York. She moved to Los Angeles, where she jo ...

on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

'' *''Kalle Blomkvist'', a fictional character created by

Astrid Lindgren Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren (; ; 14 November 1907 – 28 January 2002) was a Swedish writer of fiction and screenplays. She is best known for several children's book series, featuring Pippi Longstocking, Emil of Lönneberga, Karlsson-on-t ...

; see

Bill Bergson Bill Bergson ( sv, Kalle Blomkvist) is a fictional character created by Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren. The first book featuring him was published in 1946. Lindgren's detective story is about Bill Bergson, a more-or-less ordinary Swedish boy with ...

Surname

Maya Kalle-Bentzur Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...

(born 1958), Israeli Olympic runner and long jumper *

Wilhelm Ferdinand Kalle Wilhelm (Jakob) Ferdinand Kalle (born 19 February 1870 in Biebrich (Wiesbaden); died 7 September 1954 in Wiesbaden) was a German chemist, industrialist and politician. Life His father was industrialist Wilhelme Kalle. He studied at Universi ...

(1870-1954), German chemist, industrialist and politician

Stage name

* Le Grand Kallé, a Congolese musician *

Pépé Kallé Pépé Kallé, sometimes written as Pepe Kalle (November 30, 1951 – November 29, 1998) was a Congolese soukous singer, musician and bandleader. Biography Pépé Kallé was born Kabasele Yampanya in Kinshasa (then Léopoldville) in the Belgi ...

, a Congolese musician

Given name

Surname

Stage name

See also