Lyle
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
Every Lyle since 1880 — 60,203 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lyle
Lyle is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,047 in 2025 with 211 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 60,203 American babies have been named Lyle. Its peak came in 1926, when 1,073 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Lyle stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lyle 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 | 5 | #16,337 | 211 | #1,047 |
| 2024 | — | — | 219 | #1,022 |
| 2023 | 8 | #11,785 | 192 | #1,107 |
| 2022 | 10 | #10,125 | 209 | #1,056 |
| 2021 | 8 | #11,761 | 217 | #1,013 |
| 2020 | — | — | 207 | #1,010 |
| 2019 | 7 | #13,254 | 235 | #928 |
| 2018 | 5 | #17,161 | 220 | #947 |
| 2017 | — | — | 205 | #994 |
| 2016 | 6 | #15,481 | 208 | #983 |
| 2015 | — | — | 183 | #1,079 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,621 | 172 | #1,115 |
| 2013 | 10 | #10,714 | 168 | #1,104 |
| 2012 | — | — | 133 | #1,301 |
| 2011 | — | — | 137 | #1,263 |
| 2010 | — | — | 101 | #1,572 |
| 2009 | — | — | 86 | #1,769 |
| 2008 | — | — | 78 | #1,868 |
| 2007 | — | — | 86 | #1,736 |
| 2006 | — | — | 104 | #1,475 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,101 | 83 | #1,643 |
| 2004 | — | — | 79 | #1,646 |
| 2003 | — | — | 117 | #1,244 |
| 2002 | — | — | 107 | #1,276 |
| 2001 | — | — | 100 | #1,312 |
| 2000 | — | — | 102 | #1,278 |
| 1995 | — | — | 143 | #927 |
| 1990 | — | — | 257 | #633 |
| 1985 | — | — | 246 | #564 |
| 1980 | — | — | 268 | #525 |
| 1975 | — | — | 247 | #508 |
| 1970 | 9 | #5,639 | 465 | #376 |
| 1965 | — | — | 454 | #359 |
| 1960 | 7 | #5,483 | 731 | #290 |
| 1955 | 8 | #4,593 | 821 | #246 |
| 1950 | 15 | #2,728 | 828 | #223 |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,561 | 766 | #194 |
| 1940 | 10 | #2,878 | 864 | #173 |
| 1935 | 9 | #3,069 | 934 | #156 |
| 1930 | 19 | #1,913 | 947 | #160 |
| 1925 | 22 | #1,875 | 1,012 | #154 |
| 1920 | 29 | #1,536 | 967 | #151 |
| 1915 | 17 | #1,925 | 719 | #159 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,867 | 117 | #216 |
| 1905 | 10 | #1,273 | 61 | #249 |
| 1900 | 6 | #1,854 | 49 | #298 |
| 1895 | — | — | 40 | #281 |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,447 | 22 | #382 |
| 1885 | — | — | 13 | #538 |
| 1880 | — | — | 7 | #783 |
Famous people named Lyle
- Lyle Mays Musician · 1953–2020
- Lyle Lovett Singer · b. 1957
- Lyle Campbell Linguist · b. 1942
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lyle mean?
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Lyle in 2025?
Lyle ranked #1,047 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 211 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lyle?
60,203 babies have been named Lyle in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lyle most popular?
Lyle peaked in 1926, when 1,073 newborns received the name.
Is Lyle a boy or girl name?
Lyle is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Lyle rising or falling?
Lyle is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lyle?
Well-known people named Lyle include Lyle Mays (musician), Lyle Lovett (singer), Lyle Campbell (linguist).