Kingsley
Kingsley is an English given name. Written in Old English as Cyningesleah, this locational name roughly means "from the king's wood, glade or meadow," and derives from the Old English words Cyning (King) and leah.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Kingsley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kingsley is an English given name. Written in Old English as Cyningesleah, this locational name roughly means "from the king's wood, glade or meadow," and derives from the Old English words Cyning (King) and leah.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Kingsley
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Kingsley as a girl name dates back to 1977, when 5 babies received it. 2020 was its biggest year on record, with 238 newborns named Kingsley — #1,050 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 52% of all recorded Kingsleys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,917 among girl names with 104 births, falling sharply (-15%). In total, more than 2K Kingsleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Kingsley as a boy name dates back to 1907, when 7 babies received it. 2016 was its biggest year on record, with 473 newborns named Kingsley — #584 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 46% of all recorded Kingsleys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,109 among boy names with 194 births, falling sharply (-37%). In total, more than 7K Kingsleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kingsley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kingsley 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 Kingsley
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About the name Kingsley
Kingsley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1907 and has accumulated 7K births in the dataset. Kingsley's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #584. Use the chart and map above to compare Kingsley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2016 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy 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.