The first name Miles
A boy’s name from English meaning “grace”, “favor”, “soldier”.
Pronounced /maɪlz/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Miles means “grace”, “favor”, “soldier” in English.
From Old French given name Milo, of problematic origin, possibly from an unknown Germanic element, or a short form of Slavic names beginning with mil- "grace, favor". The English form is associated by folk etymology with Latin mīles (“soldier”). As a surname, it is also derived from a Middle English Miles form of Michael.
More names that mean grace, warrior.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 474 boys were named Miles, making it the 114th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 533 births (#111).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Miles with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Miles at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 6,072 boys born in the United States were named Miles, the 44th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2024, when 6,634 were.
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.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Miles
56 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Miles DavisAmerican jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer (1926–1991)
- Miles TellerAmerican actor, born 1987
- Miles FranklinAustralian writer and feminist (1879–1954)
- Miles HeizerAmerican actor, born 1994
- Miles RobinsonAmerican soccer player, born 1997
- Miles Joseph BerkeleyBritish botanist (1803-1889)
- Miles DempseyBritish army officer (1896-1969)
- Miles FisherAmerican film and television actor and musician, born 1983
- Miles BridgesAmerican basketball player (born 1998)
- Miles KaneEnglish musician, born 1986
- Miles PlumleeAmerican basketball player (born 1988)
- Miles Chamley-WatsonBritish-born American fencer, born 1989
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Miles mean?
- Miles means “grace”, “favor”, “soldier” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Miles?
- From Old French given name Milo, of problematic origin, possibly from an unknown Germanic element, or a short form of Slavic names beginning with mil- "grace, favor". The English form is associated by folk etymology with Latin mīles (“soldier”). As a surname, it is also derived from a Middle…
- How popular is the name Miles?
- In 2025, 474 boys born in England and Wales were named Miles, ranking 114th. Its peak was 2021, with 533 births.
- Is Miles a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 123,225 US babies named Miles since 1880 were boys.
- When was Miles most popular?
- 2024 in the United States, when 6,634 babies were named Miles, its highest rank at 37th.
- How do you pronounce Miles?
- Miles is /maɪlz/, one syllable.
- What are other spellings of Miles?
- Myles.
- Is Miles also a surname?
- Yes. Miles is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.