UK name, mostly boys
Kayle
A feminine name of English origin meaning "slender and fair".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 7 girls.
Kayle is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Kayle popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4608, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 6 births.
This profile covers 33 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 1997 to 2020. 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 33 living people in the UK are called Kayle. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kayle ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 6 boys were registered as Kayle.
- • Kayle is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 33 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kayle as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 82.5% of Kayle registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4608
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
6 births
Estimated living
33
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kayle
In England and Wales birth records, Kayle has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 82.5% of registrations are for boys and 17.5% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Kayle registered for boys
- Ranked #4,608 in 2020
- 3 boys registered in 2020
- Peak: 2007 (6 births)
Kayle registered for girls
- Ranked #4,157 in 2006
- 4 girls registered in 2006
- Peak: 2006 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Kayle mean?
The name Kayle is believed to have originated from the Old English language, likely derived from the word "cæle," meaning "cool" or "cold." It was a name that was primarily used in Anglo-Saxon England during the medieval period, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kayle can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical document mentions a landowner named Kayle of Kent, suggesting the name's usage in that region at the time.
In the 12th century, a famous bearer of the name was Kayle of Gloucester, a renowned scholar and philosopher who studied at the University of Oxford. He was known for his work on logic and his commentaries on Aristotle's writings.
During the 13th century, the name Kayle gained some popularity among the nobility in England. One notable figure was Sir Kayle de Vere, a knight who fought in the Crusades and was known for his bravery on the battlefield.
In the 14th century, Kayle was the name of a prominent merchant in the city of London. Records show that he was involved in the wool trade and had established business connections throughout Europe.
Another significant bearer of the name was Kayle Wycliffe, a 14th-century English scholar and religious reformer. He was influential in translating the Bible into English and advocating for its widespread availability to the common people.
Throughout the centuries, the name Kayle has been relatively rare, but it has been carried by notable individuals in various fields, including literature, arts, and academia. One example is Kayle Browning, a 19th-century English poet and playwright who was part of the Romantic movement.
While the name Kayle has its roots in Old English and was most prevalent in medieval times, it has maintained a presence throughout history, albeit with varying levels of popularity. Its meaning and association with coolness or calmness have persisted, making it a unique and distinctive name choice.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kayle over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kayle in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kayle, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kayle by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kayle 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4608 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4459 | 10 | 3 |
| 2000s | #3025 | 17 | 4 |
| 1990s | #2859 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kayle
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kayle: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kayle in the UK right now?
In 2020, Kayle was ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kayle most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 6 babies registered as Kayle in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kayle?
A feminine name of English origin meaning "slender and fair".
How many people are called Kayle in the UK?
A total of 33 babies have been registered as Kayle across the 9 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.