Meaning and History of the Name Kyle
The boy’s name Kyle can also be used as a girl’s name. Kyle also has mainly feminine forms, Kyla and Kylar. A variant spelling for Kyle is Chile.
The meaning of Kyle is “channel, narrows, strait.” Kyle was originally a Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic word caol. Kyle was also once the name of a district in what used to be Ayshire County in Scotland. The surname Kyle dates back to the 15th century.
Popularity of Kyle
In England and Wales, Kyle’s popularity as a boy’s name is fairly high, but declining. As of 2012, it was the 94th most popular name in both countries. It is more popular in Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Kyle is especially popular in Ireland, where it is the 32nd most popular boy’s name.
The feminine form, Kyla, is far less popular. It is the 326th most popular name in England and Wales. In the United States, Kyle was fairly popular as a girl’s name from the 1950s to the mid 1960s and then in the 1980s, but it has since fallen out of fashion.
Useful Resources
Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish girl’s names.