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Name Lineage

    The first name Kyle

    A boy’s name meaning “narrows”.

    Pronounced /kaɪl/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Kyle means “narrows”.

    From several places in Scotland and Northern Ireland, derived from Gaelic caol (“narrows”).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 55 boys were named Kyle, making it the 658th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1997, with 2,205 births (#38).

    01,5003,000 1996200020052010201520202025
    28,518
    babies named Kyle, 1996–2025
    #658
    rank in 2025
    1997
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kyle with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Kyle at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 594 boys born in the United States were named Kyle, the 509th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1990, when 22,710 were.

    015,00030,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    494,713
    babies named Kyle since 1880
    #509
    rank in 2025
    1990
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Kyle

    129 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Kyle Walker
      English association football player (born 1990)
    • Kyle MacLachlan
      American actor, born 1959
    • Kyle Larson
      American racing driver (born 1992)
    • Kyle Chandler
      American actor (born 1965)
    • Kyle Gass
      American singer and musician (born 1960)
    • Kyle Lowry
      American basketball player (born 1986)
    • Kyle Walker-Peters
      English association football player, born 1997
    • Kyle Gallner
      American actor, born 1986
    • Kyle Korver
      American basketball player (born 1981)
    • Kyle Beckerman
      American soccer player, born 1982
    • Kyle Naughton
      English association football player (born 1988)
    • Kyle Edmund
      British tennis player (born 1995)

    Questions

    What does the name Kyle mean?
    Kyle means “narrows”.
    How popular is the name Kyle?
    In 2025, 55 boys born in England and Wales were named Kyle, ranking 658th. Its peak was 1997, with 2,205 births.
    Is Kyle a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 98% of the 494,713 US babies named Kyle since 1880 were boys.
    When was Kyle most popular?
    1990 in the United States, when 22,710 babies were named Kyle, its highest rank at 18th.
    How do you pronounce Kyle?
    Kyle is /kaɪl/, one syllable.
    Is Kyle also a surname?
    Yes. Kyle is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.