Caleb

Caleb is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin, derived from the root kelev, meaning dog, though some scholars interpret it as wholehearted or devoted to God. In the Hebrew Bible, Caleb is one of the twelve spies sent by Moses into Canaan and one of only two, alongside Joshua, permitted to enter the Promised Land, giving the name strong associations with faithfulness and courage. It was adopted by Puritan settlers in the seventeenth century and has remained in steady use in English-speaking countries ever since. Kaleb is a common variant spelling, and the name also appears in Ethiopian tradition as Kaleb, borne by a sixth-century king.