Carlyle
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
Every Carlyle since 1892 — 4,071 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Carlyle
Carlyle is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,888 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1892, 4,071 American babies have been named Carlyle — about 95% boys and 5% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1918, when 115 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Carlyle stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Carlyle year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 20 | #4,888 |
| 2024 | — | — | 16 | #5,702 |
| 2023 | 8 | #11,382 | 15 | #5,983 |
| 2022 | 5 | #15,769 | 17 | #5,473 |
| 2021 | 6 | #13,817 | 22 | #4,515 |
| 2020 | — | — | 23 | #4,298 |
| 2019 | 7 | #12,704 | 24 | #4,247 |
| 2018 | 8 | #11,608 | 26 | #4,007 |
| 2017 | 6 | #14,494 | 26 | #4,009 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,003 | 23 | #4,348 |
| 2015 | — | — | 18 | #5,090 |
| 2014 | — | — | 21 | #4,561 |
| 2013 | 7 | #13,453 | 19 | #4,829 |
| 2012 | — | — | 10 | #7,639 |
| 2011 | — | — | 13 | #6,310 |
| 2010 | 5 | #17,548 | 12 | #6,754 |
| 2009 | — | — | 10 | #7,776 |
| 2008 | 10 | #10,954 | 10 | #7,784 |
| 2007 | 10 | #10,984 | 9 | #8,287 |
| 2006 | — | — | 10 | #7,514 |
| 2005 | — | — | 7 | #9,272 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,047 | 5 | #11,635 |
| 2003 | — | — | 11 | #6,320 |
| 2002 | — | — | 12 | #5,779 |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,202 | 13 | #5,423 |
| 2000 | 5 | #15,464 | 5 | #10,606 |
| 1995 | 9 | #8,892 | 13 | #4,548 |
| 1990 | 7 | #10,377 | 21 | #2,969 |
| 1985 | 7 | #8,468 | 13 | #3,434 |
| 1980 | — | — | 16 | #2,846 |
| 1975 | — | — | 18 | #2,376 |
| 1970 | — | — | 21 | #1,946 |
| 1965 | — | — | 16 | #1,994 |
| 1960 | — | — | 28 | #1,525 |
| 1955 | — | — | 38 | #1,222 |
| 1950 | — | — | 56 | #918 |
| 1945 | — | — | 36 | #1,085 |
| 1940 | — | — | 39 | #1,032 |
| 1935 | — | — | 61 | #791 |
| 1930 | — | — | 60 | #845 |
| 1925 | — | — | 75 | #759 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,093 | 96 | #646 |
| 1915 | — | — | 72 | #683 |
| 1910 | — | — | 11 | #989 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 6 | #1,186 |
| 1895 | — | — | 10 | #698 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Carlyle
- Carlyle Glean Politician · b. 1932
- Carlyle Blackwell Actor · 1884–1955
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Carlyle mean?
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Carlyle in 2025?
Carlyle ranked #4,888 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Carlyle?
4,071 babies have been named Carlyle in the United States since 1892, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Carlyle most popular?
Carlyle peaked in 1918, when 115 newborns received the name.
Is Carlyle a boy or girl name?
Carlyle is used for both: about 5% of babies named Carlyle have been girls and 95% boys.
Is the name Carlyle rising or falling?
Carlyle has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Carlyle?
Well-known people named Carlyle include Carlyle Glean (politician), Carlyle Blackwell (actor).