Nicolas Cage Finally Explains Why He Named His Son Kal-El — And His Real Connection to Superman

Nicolas Cage finally cleared up the Kal-El thing. If you figured he named his son straight after Superman, you are not alone. But Cage says the truth is a lot less fan-theory and a lot more dad-just-liked-the-name.

Cage sets the record straight

Quick refresher on the family: Cage has two sons — Weston Coppola Cage, 35, and Kal-El Coppola Cage, 20 — plus a young daughter named August. The Kal-El part has fueled rumors for years, for obvious reasons. During a new chat with Entertainment Tonight, Cage addressed it head-on and explained why he went with the name.

"The Superman thing is just something that happened."

"I gave him the name, but it wasn't because of some sort of adoration of Superman."

"It is actually a Hebrew name; it means Voice of God."

So yes, he is fully aware Kal-El is Clark Kent's Kryptonian birth name in the comics. No, this wasn't some elaborate DC tribute. Cage says he picked it because he thought it was a beautiful, meaningful name with history behind it — and his son loves it. Simple as that. Not exactly the grand conspiracy the internet wanted, but there you go.

Meanwhile, the on-screen Kal-El is about to be everywhere again

Separate from baby names, the Superman corner of DC is ramping up. Here's what's officially on the calendar and what to expect:

• Supergirl — June 26, 2026: Craig Gillespie directs, with Milly Alcock starring as Kara Zor-El. It's based on the 'Woman of Tomorrow' storyline and tracks an intense, space- set journey that leans hard into vengeance and justice.
• Superman: Man of Tomorrow — July 9, 2027: Written and directed by James Gunn. The plot puts iconic rivals on the same side for once, teaming up to protect Earth from the hyper-intelligent alien cyborg Brainiac. Matthew Lillard has joined the cast, which is a fun curveball.

Bottom line: Cage's son got the name because dad thought it sounded powerful and timeless, not because of a shrine to DC in the living room. And over the next couple years, the name Kal-El is going to be top of mind anyway, thanks to a packed release slate.