Boy · #2,611 in 2026

Knight

A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity.

Current Rank
#2,611
Peak Rank
#2,035 (2022)
Total Babies
982
5-Yr Trend
-8%
1923
First Year
2026
Last Year
2022
Peak Year
#2035
Peak Rank
982
Total Count
29
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Knight

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The word knight , from Old English cniht ("boy" or "servant"), is a cognate of the German word Knecht ("servant, bondsman, vassal"). This meaning, of unknown origin, is common among West Germanic languages (cf Old Frisian kniucht , Dutch knecht , Danish knægt , Swedish knekt , Norwegian knekt , Middle High German kneht , all meaning "boy, youth, lad"). Middle High German had the phrase guoter kneht , which also meant knight; but this meaning was in decline by about 1200. [ page range too broad ] The meaning of cniht changed over time from its original meaning of "boy" to "household retainer ".

The Story of Knight

Knight first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1923, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 74 Knights were born — ranking #2,035 that year. As of 2026, Knight ranks #2,611 for baby boys with 51 births, gradually falling (-8%). In total, more than 982 Knights have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Knight

Phonetically similar names — useful when Knight 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 Knight

What does the name Knight mean?
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity.
How popular is Knight in 2026?
In 2026, Knight ranks #2,611 among boys' names in the U.S., with 51 babies given the name that year.
When was Knight most popular?
Knight reached its peak popularity in 2022, ranking #2,035 that year with 74 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Knight most popular?
Knight has historically been most popular in Hawaii, Arizona, Georgia. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Knight.
Is Knight a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Knight is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Knight?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Knight include Jeter, Vencent, Jeyden. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Jeter
Peak #2035
👦
Vencent
Peak #2035
👦
Jeyden
Peak #2035
👦
Myheir
Peak #2035
👦
Flem
Peak #2034
👦
Letcher
Peak #2034
👦
Selden
Peak #2034
👦
Eural
Peak #2034

About the name Knight

Knight is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1923 and has accumulated 982 births in the dataset. Knight's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #2,035. Use the chart and map above to compare Knight's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.