UK boy's name
Doyle
An Irish form of the surname Doyle meaning "dark-faced man".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Doyle is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Doyle popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4749, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 8 births.
This profile covers 57 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 1996 to 2018. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 56 living people in the UK are called Doyle. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Doyle ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 8 boys were registered as Doyle.
- • About 56 living people in the UK are estimated to have Doyle as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4749
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
2004
8 births
Estimated living
56
2026
Meaning
What does Doyle mean?
The name Doyle has its origins in the Irish language, deriving from the Gaelic word "dóighiúil," which means "dark-featured" or "swarthy." This name likely emerged during the early medieval period in Ireland, when it was common to give descriptive names based on physical characteristics.
In ancient Irish texts, such as the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of the Four Masters, there are records of individuals bearing the name Doyle or variations like Ó Dóighiúil. These early records date back to the 12th and 13th centuries, indicating the longstanding use of this name in Irish culture.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Doyle was Donnchadh Ó Dóighiúil, an Irish chieftain who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent figure in the territory of Leix, now part of County Laois, Ireland.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures with the first name Doyle. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the renowned Scottish author and creator of the Sherlock Holmes series, is perhaps the most famous bearer of this name. His works have had a lasting impact on literature and popular culture.
Another well-known individual was Sir Arthur William Doyle (1837-1922), a British civil engineer and surveyor who contributed significantly to the development of infrastructure in India during the British Raj.
In the field of sports, Doyle Brunson (born 1933) is a legendary American poker player and two-time World Series of Poker Main Event champion, known for his influential book "Super/System" on poker strategy.
Doyle Alexander (born 1950) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for several teams, including the Baltimore Orioles and the Detroit Tigers.
Doyle Wham (1941-2022) was an American computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded the computer hardware company Commodore International and played a pivotal role in the early personal computer revolution.
While the name Doyle has Irish roots, it has since been adopted and used in various cultures around the world, with individuals from diverse backgrounds bearing this name throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Doyle over time
The chart below shows babies named Doyle registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Doyle, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Doyle by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Doyle was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4255 | 11 | 3 |
| 2000s | #2631 | 30 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2492 | 16 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Doyle
- Daniel 120,900
- Dylan 60,836
- David 37,852
- Dominic 20,480
- Declan 11,657
- Dexter 11,627
- Danny 8,434
- Dean 5,329
- Dillon 4,113
- Douglas 3,773
- Dominik 3,494
- Damian 3,486
FAQ
Doyle: questions and answers
How popular is the name Doyle in the UK right now?
In 2018, Doyle was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Doyle most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 8 babies registered as Doyle in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Doyle?
An Irish form of the surname Doyle meaning "dark-faced man".
How many people are called Doyle in the UK?
A total of 57 babies have been registered as Doyle across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.