Carlyle
Carlyle is a masculine English-language given name. It may refer to:Carlyle Atkinson (1892–1968), English swimmer Carlyle W.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Carlyle
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Carlyle is a masculine English-language given name. It may refer to:Carlyle Atkinson (1892–1968), English swimmer Carlyle W.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Carlyle
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Carlyle as a girl name dates back to 1914, when 5 babies received it. 1997 was its biggest year on record, with 10 newborns named Carlyle — #8,334 in the national rankings. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 34% of all recorded Carlyles. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (8 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 215 Carlyles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Carlyle first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1892, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1918: 115 births, good for #564 nationwide. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 20% of all recorded Carlyles. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,322 among boy names with 13 births, falling sharply (-38%). In total, more than 4K Carlyles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Carlyle
Phonetically similar names — useful when Carlyle is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Carlyle
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Is Carlyle a unisex name?
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About the name Carlyle
Carlyle is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1892 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Carlyle's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #564. Use the chart and map above to compare Carlyle's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.