Kaleab is of Ethiopian origin, derived from the Ge'ez language, and means "mighty." It is a unisex name but is more commonly used for males. The name gained international recognition when it was chosen by the parents of the first child to be born in the new millennium on January 1, 2000.
The name Kaleab experienced a notable rise in popularity from the late 2000s onwards, with a significant spike occurring between 2010 and 2015. During this period, there were more than twice as many births annually compared to the early years (1998-2004) when only around 7 births per year were recorded. The peak occurred in 2012 with 19 births, followed by another high point in 2015 with 19 births as well. Since then, the number of births named Kaleab has fluctuated but has generally remained at a higher level than before 2010.