It was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii led by Scott S. Sheppard in 2000, and given the temporary designation S/2000 J 2.

[3] It orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 23,181,000 km in 766.61 days, at an inclination of 166° to the ecliptic (165° to Jupiter's equator), in a retrograde direction and with an eccentricity of 0.2140.

It was named in October 2002 after the Greek mythological figure Kalyke or Calyce.

[6] It belongs to the Carme group, made up of irregular retrograde moons orbiting Jupiter at a distance ranging between 23 and 24 Gm and at an inclination of about 165°.

Kalyke is redder in color (B−V=0.94, V−R=0.70) than other moons of the Carme group, suggesting that it is a captured centaur or TNO, or a remnant of such an object that collided with the Carme group progenitor.