Kalninkai was formerly part of the German Empire. In the German Empire, the place was called Kallningken.
The place is now called Kalininkai and belongs to Lithuania.
| Historical place name | Country | Administration | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kallningken, Ksp. Werden | German Empire | Heydekrug | before the Versailles Treaty |
| Kalninkai | Lithuania | Šilutė | after the Versailles Treaty |
| Kallningken | German Empire | Heydekrug | 1939 |
| Kalininkai | Soviet Union | Šilutė/Šilute | 1945 |
| Kalininkaj | Soviet Union | Šilutė/Šilute | 1945 |
| Kalininkai | Lithuania | Šilutė | 1992 |