Which name would you choose? Nickname would be Cal, middle name would be a strong traditional name (e.g. James, Charles)
Curious to hear any associations you have with these names. Is Calvin too nerdy? Does Callan sound made up? Is the “um” in Callum off putting?
Any other names you like with the nickname “Cal”?
Thanks!
I love [name_m]Calix[/name_m] and [name_u]Callahan[/name_u] as well.
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m] and [name_u]Callahan[/name_u] can also be [name_u]Cal[/name_u] if you want!
I absolutely love [name_u]Callum[/name_u]. I don’t think [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] is too nerdy. I do always think [name_u]Callan[/name_u] should just be [name_m]Colin[/name_m] but that might be a regional thing? (It just looks wrong to me.)
[name_u]Callum[/name_u] is my favorite. Soft, handsome, and uncommon. I second [name_u]Callahan[/name_u]. I also like [name_m]Caledon[/name_m], [name_m]Calhoun[/name_m], and [name_u]Calloway[/name_u].
calvin is my favourite - for me it’s strongly associated with calvin & hobbes. my second association would probably be calvin coolidge, i guess? nobody’s mentioned calder, so i’ll add that!
[name_u]Love[/name_u] [name_u]Callum[/name_u] 
I wonder about the um part of [name_u]Callum[/name_u] sometimes too but in the end I love the name too much to care about that cause in the end it’s a lovely name. I knew one [name_u]Callum[/name_u] too and he was an alright dude.
I want to like [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] but I just can’t quite get there. I know one [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] and he was a pretty naughty kid so I don’t think it’s nerdy at all.
Think I perfer Kellan/Kelyn to [name_u]Callan[/name_u].
I was going to suggest [name_u]Calen[/name_u] (kay-len) but it doesn’t really get you the [name_u]Cal[/name_u] part you’re looking for.
So I might suggest:
[name_m]Calesto[/name_m] / [name_m]Calisto[/name_m]
[name_m]Callister[/name_m]
[name_m]Calton[/name_m]
[name_m]Calvert[/name_m]
I really like [name_u]Callum[/name_u] and second [name_u]Callahan[/name_u] and [name_u]Calloway[/name_u].
Totally feel you on wanting to love [name_m]Calvin[/name_m]. I can’t quite get there either - I think it’s the sharpness of the second syllable for me - whereas I love the softer sound of [name_u]Callum[/name_u] but sometimes get hung up on the way it looks on paper.
Appreciate the additional suggestions!
Thanks for the thoughts and suggestion! Got a laugh out of the [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] [name_m]Coolidge[/name_m] association. He hadn’t crossed my mind yet 
Something about [name_u]Callan[/name_u] feels slightly off to me too. I wonder if it’s because it is so close to [name_m]Collin[/name_m]. Thanks for your thoughts!
I love [name_u]Callum[/name_u]! And it goes together perfectly with a traditional and strong middle like [name_u]James[/name_u]. [name_u]Callum[/name_u] [name_u]James[/name_u] sounds incredible. [name_m]Caleb[/name_m] might be an option too. Some other names:
Kalhed
[name_m]Calton[/name_m]
[name_m]Calbert[/name_m]
[name_u]Callaghan[/name_u]
[name_u]Calgary[/name_u]
[name_u]Calen[/name_u]
[name_m]Calix[/name_m]
Calidore
What if you spelled [name_u]Callum[/name_u] differently then?
Callam / Callem / Callim / Callom / Callym ?
[name_u]Or[/name_u] you could go for just [name_u]Cal[/name_u].
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m] is my favourite, a cool classic.
Seconding [name_u]Calder[/name_u], [name_m]Calhoun[/name_m] and [name_u]Calloway[/name_u]!
It can also be spelled with one L, so [name_m]Calum[/name_m].
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband is [name_m]Caleb[/name_m] nn [name_u]Cal[/name_u]. I get that the “kay” / “cah” sound difference could be less intuitive and confusing for some but I like it!
I chose [name_u]Callum[/name_u] from your list, with [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] a close second. I like both names. I think they’re both becoming a bit more mainstream but still very interesting.
I adore Callum!!
This was so hard because I love both [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] and [name_u]Callum[/name_u]!
[name_m]Calvin[/name_m] - warm and friendly, just an all around nice guy
[name_u]Callum[/name_u] - a little adventurous and daring as well as handsome and dashing
I think I’d be slightly disappointed to meet a [name_u]Cal[/name_u] who wasn’t a [name_m]Calvin[/name_m]. 
I was going to use [name_u]Callahan[/name_u] with the nickname [name_u]Cal[/name_u]. That would be my favorite. [name_u]Callum[/name_u] has grown on me so that would be my pick out of yours.
I prefer [name_m]Calvin[/name_m]! I’ve always liked this name because of [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] and [name_m]Hobbes[/name_m]. It also makes me think of [name_m]Calvin[/name_m] from the Wrinkle in Time trilogy. It’s a handsome name.