Kalev is an Estonian male given name, corresponding to the Kaleva of Finnish mythology. In the Estonian national epic Kalevipoeg, Kalev is the father of the hero Kalevipoeg. The name Kaleva is of uncertain meaning; it refers to a mythical ancestor of the Finns, and the Finnish national epic Kalevala means 'the land of Kaleva'.
The figure of Kalev appears only briefly in the epic poem, having died before the main action begins. Yet he is central to the story as the patriarch of a heroic line, and his wife, Linda, gives birth to their son, Kalevipoeg. The name Kalev has become emblematic of national identity in Estonia, invoked in literature, song, and place names.
A notable bearer of the name is Kalev Kesküla (born 1959), an Estonian free-verse poet. The name shares its root with the Finnish given name Kalevi, which also derives from Kaleva.