Kyle Boy

Popularity: #459 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KYLE //kaɪl//

Origin: Irish; Scottish

Meaning: Irish: narrow; Scottish: from the channel

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Kyle has its roots in the Scottish Gaelic language, deriving from the word "caol," which means "narrow" or "strait." This etymology reflects the geographical features of Scotland, particularly the narrow channels of water found in the region. The name is believed to have originated as a surname, denoting someone who lived near such a strait or narrow place, and it eventually transitioned into a given name.

The earliest recorded use of Kyle as a personal name can be traced back to the 20th century, although its surname form has been documented much earlier in Scottish history. Historically, the name Kyle has been associated with various geographical locations in Scotland, such as Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyle of Bute, which further solidified its connection to the landscape.

The name gained prominence in the 19th century, particularly through literary works and cultural references that highlighted Scottish heritage. Notably, the name has appeared in various forms of literature and folklore, contributing to its recognition as a symbol of Scottish identity.

Culturally, Kyle has been embraced for its connotations of strength and resilience, qualities often associated with the rugged Scottish terrain. The name has also been linked to various historical figures, although specific notable individuals bearing the name in earlier centuries are less documented.

The diminutive form "Ky" has emerged in modern usage, reflecting a trend towards shorter, more casual names. Overall, Kyle's enduring presence in both Scottish culture and the broader English-speaking world underscores its significance as a name that embodies geographical and cultural heritage.

Famous people named Kyle

In this section, you will find notable people named Kyle. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Kyle who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Kyle who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Kyle MacLachlan is an actor best known for Twin Peaks, Dune, and Portlandia.

Kyle Chandler is an actor best known for Friday Night Lights, Bloodline, and Early Edition.

Kyle Richards is an actress and television personality best known for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Halloween, and Little House on the Prairie.

Kyle Lowry is a professional basketball player best known for his time with the Toronto Raptors and winning the NBA Championship.

Kyle Gass is a musician and actor best known for being a member of Tenacious D and for his work in the film The Pick of Destiny.

Kyle XY is a fictional character from the television series Kyle XY, known for his mysterious origins and abilities.

Kyle Baker is a cartoonist and graphic novelist best known for his work on Why I Hate Saturn, and the comic adaptation of The Shadow.

Kyle Dunnigan is a comedian and actor best known for his work on Reno 911! and his stand-up comedy specials.

Kyle Hill is a science communicator and writer best known for his work on YouTube and as a host of the show Because Science.

Fictional characters named Kyle

The following list of fictional characters named Kyle is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Kyle Rayner is a fictional character from the comic book series Green Lantern. He is one of the Green Lanterns, known for wielding the power ring and being a key member of the Green Lantern Corps.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Kyle, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

RyanShaneLiamEthanDylanTyler

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Kyle. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

KianCaleColeKyleeKadeKellanKieranKurt

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Kyle was first seen in the United States in 1881.

Kyle has ranked as high as #25 nationally, which occurred in 1990, and has been most popular in California, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Kyle has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Kyle is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Kyle was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Kyle.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 611 594 17
2024 753 721 32
2023 788 758 30
2022 832 808 24
2021 932 899 33
2020 1,102 1,056 46
2019 1,429 1,386 43
2018 1,747 1,682 65
2017 1,890 1,842 48
2016 2,082 2,039 43
2015 2,454 2,394 60
2014 2,456 2,388 68
2013 2,647 2,589 58
2012 3,020 2,968 52
2011 3,327 3,269 58
2010 3,614 3,581 33
2009 4,214 4,180 34
2008 4,735 4,705 30
2007 5,397 5,355 42
2006 6,197 6,150 47
2005 6,726 6,688 38
2004 7,900 7,826 74
2003 8,712 8,651 61
2002 10,109 10,064 45
2001 10,624 10,568 56
2000 12,022 11,969 53
1999 13,840 13,774 66
1998 15,371 15,277 94
1997 16,034 15,919 115
1996 15,705 15,600 105
1995 16,885 16,761 124
1994 18,554 18,399 155
1993 19,616 19,454 162
1992 20,887 20,714 173
1991 21,773 21,610 163
1990 22,947 22,710 237
1989 21,136 20,882 254
1988 20,185 19,895 290
1987 20,181 19,862 319
1986 19,576 19,315 261
1985 16,826 16,523 303
1984 12,776 12,546 230
1983 12,615 12,372 243
1982 8,396 8,207 189
1981 6,727 6,570 157
1980 5,948 5,775 173
1979 5,615 5,449 166
1978 4,675 4,517 158
1977 3,588 3,505 83
1976 3,371 3,308 63
1975 2,922 2,833 89
1974 2,692 2,598 94
1973 2,452 2,372 80
1972 2,539 2,477 62
1971 2,906 2,823 83
1970 2,854 2,763 91
1969 2,210 2,134 76
1968 1,996 1,943 53
1967 2,189 2,139 50
1966 2,010 1,954 56
1965 1,259 1,169 90
1964 1,590 1,478 112
1963 1,756 1,628 128
1962 1,850 1,712 138
1961 1,384 1,159 225
1960 1,486 1,263 223
1959 1,370 1,146 224
1958 1,174 1,011 163
1957 1,228 1,033 195
1956 656 470 186
1955 538 404 134
1954 560 402 158
1953 513 360 153
1952 537 381 156
1951 554 343 211
1950 341 239 102
1949 181 144 37
1948 146 130 16
1947 162 151 11
1946 117 107 10
1945 86 81 5
1944 101 96 5
1943 143 121 22
1942 118 112 6
1941 119 119 0
1940 94 94 0
1939 101 101 0
1938 77 77 0
1937 111 106 5
1936 102 96 6
1935 114 114 0
1934 87 87 0
1933 74 74 0
1932 78 78 0
1931 79 79 0
1930 89 89 0
1929 80 80 0
1928 74 74 0
1927 102 102 0
1926 85 85 0
1925 84 84 0
1924 88 88 0
1923 68 68 0
1922 81 81 0
1921 67 67 0
1920 85 85 0
1919 52 52 0
1918 67 67 0
1917 75 75 0
1916 62 62 0
1915 70 65 5
1914 42 42 0
1913 25 25 0
1912 35 35 0
1911 11 11 0
1910 15 15 0
1909 11 11 0
1908 10 10 0
1907 8 8 0
1906 10 10 0
1905 9 9 0
1904 10 10 0
1903 7 7 0
1902 7 7 0
1900 7 7 0
1899 7 7 0
1896 6 6 0
1895 7 7 0
1894 10 10 0
1893 7 7 0
1892 6 6 0
1891 7 7 0
1890 5 5 0
1889 5 5 0
1888 9 9 0
1881 5 5 0

Top States for Kyle (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 96
14%
NY 72
11%
TX 68
10%
FL 46
7%
PA 35
5%
NJ 30
4%
OH 27
4%
MI 22
3%
IL 21
3%
MD 20
3%
IN 20
3%
GA 19
3%
MA 16
2%
AZ 15
2%
WI 14
2%
MO 14
2%
VA 13
2%
TN 13
2%
OK 12
2%
MN 12
2%
NC 12
2%
UT 11
2%
WA 10
1%
LA 9
1%
CO 8
1%
CT 7
1%
KY 7
1%
AR 6
1%
NV 6
1%
HI 5
1%
IA 5
1%
SC 5
1%
KS 5
1%