NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Nyle

A masculine name of Greek origin referring to the Nile river.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Nyle is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nyle popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1517, with 17 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 34 births.

This profile covers 501 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 503 living people in the UK are called Nyle. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Nyle ranked #1517 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 17 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 34 boys were registered as Nyle.
  • Nyle ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #703 in 2022.
  • About 503 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nyle as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1517

2024

Births in 2024

17

Latest year

Peak year

2005

34 births

Estimated living

503

2026

Meaning

What does Nyle mean?

The given name Nyle has its origins in the Old English language, which was spoken by the Germanic tribes that inhabited England from the 5th to the 11th centuries. It is derived from the Old English word "nyl," which means "river." The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 8th century, when it was used as a given name for both males and females in various regions of England.

The name Nyle was particularly popular among the Anglo-Saxons, who were the dominant cultural group in England during the Middle Ages. It was often associated with individuals who lived near rivers or worked as fishermen or boatmen. The name may also have been used to signify a person's connection to water or their affinity for aquatic environments.

One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Nyle was Nyle the Scribe, a monk who lived in the late 9th century. He is credited with copying and preserving several important manuscripts, including works by the venerable Bede, a renowned scholar and historian of the Anglo-Saxon era.

In the 11th century, Nyle of Huntingdon was a notable figure who served as a advisor to King William the Conqueror. He played a significant role in the Norman conquest of England and was rewarded with lands and titles for his loyalty.

During the Middle Ages, the name Nyle was also used by several members of the English nobility. One such individual was Nyle de Beaumont, a knight who fought alongside King Richard I during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century.

In the 14th century, Nyle Wycliffe was a prominent English philosopher and theologian who was a key figure in the Lollard movement, which sought to reform the Catholic Church. He is best known for his translation of the Bible into Middle English, making the sacred text accessible to a wider audience.

Another notable figure with the name Nyle was Nyle Caxton, a renowned English printer and publisher who lived in the 15th century. He is credited with introducing the printing press to England and publishing some of the earliest printed books in the English language.

While the name Nyle has become less common in modern times, it has a rich historical significance and a strong connection to the Anglo-Saxon heritage and literary traditions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Nyle over time

The chart below shows babies named Nyle registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Nyle, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 17 births in 2024, compared with 34 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Nyle
09172634199620102024

Decades

Nyle by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nyle 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 #1837 65 5
2010s #1443 174 10
2000s #1145 182 10
1990s #808 80 4

Geography

Where Nyle is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Nyle. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Nyle ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #703 in 2022.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Nyle in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#703 in 2022

2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered

Related

Names similar to Nyle

FAQ

Nyle: questions and answers

How popular is the name Nyle in the UK right now?

In 2024, Nyle was ranked #1517 for boys in England and Wales, with 17 births registered.

When was Nyle most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 34 babies registered as Nyle in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Nyle?

A masculine name of Greek origin referring to the Nile river.

How many people are called Nyle in the UK?

A total of 501 babies have been registered as Nyle across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.

Where is Nyle most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Nyle ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #703 in 2022. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.