Kalman

Kalman has distinct Hungarian and Yiddish histories. Hungarian Kálmán developed from Colmán, an Irish name meaning little dove, through the influence of a medieval saint. It became established in Hungary and was borne by a medieval Hungarian king. Without the accent, Kalman often represents that same Hungarian name in English-language records.

In Yiddish, Kalman and Kalmen have a separate history within Jewish naming. They are often linked with Greek Kalonymos, meaning good name, but scholarship treats that proposed derivation as unproven rather than certain. The frequent pairing of the names does not by itself settle their relationship. A family's Hungarian or Yiddish background can therefore lead to different explanations of Kalman, and preserving that distinction is more informative than assigning every bearer the same dove or good-reputation meaning.