Kayle
Kayle is a surname, a Yiddish feminine given name, and a masculine given name. As a Yiddish name, Kayle is known from the 13th century as a variant of Keyle, meaning "merry"; it is cognate with the modern German word geil.
Meaning & Origin of Kayle
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kayle is a surname, a Yiddish feminine given name, and a masculine given name. As a Yiddish name, Kayle is known from the 13th century as a variant of Keyle, meaning "merry"; it is cognate with the modern German word geil.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kayle
As a girl name
American parents first put Kayle on the record books as a girl name in 1955, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2000, when 190 Kayles were born — ranking #1,088 that year. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 36% of all recorded Kayles. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #9,798 among girl names with 6 births, falling sharply (-60%). In total, more than 4K Kayles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Kayle on the record books as a boy name in 1948, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1990, when 29 Kayles were born — ranking #2,373 that year. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 28% of all recorded Kayles. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2014 (11 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 626 Kayles have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kayle
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kayle 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 Kayle
What does the name Kayle mean?
How popular is Kayle in 2026?
When was Kayle most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kayle most popular?
Is Kayle a unisex name?
What names go well with Kayle?
About the name Kayle
Kayle is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1955 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Kayle's peak popularity came in 2000 when it ranked #1,088. Use the chart and map above to compare Kayle's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2000 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl names →
- 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.