Carlyle: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#4,888

among boys · ↑814 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Carlyle

How common

1 in 85,404

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1918

115 babies

All-time total

4,071

#2,154 all-time among boys

First recorded

1892

in Social Security records

Carlyle popularity over time

4,071 babies have been named Carlyle since 1892, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	36	36	4	–	#681
1900s	–	47	47	5	+31%	#705
1910s	5	631	636	64	+1253%	#564
1920s	15	791	806	81	+27%	#646
1930s	–	552	552	55	-32%	#762
1940s	7	401	408	41	-26%	#974
1950s	5	348	353	35	-13%	#918
1960s	–	168	168	17	-52%	#1,525
1970s	–	168	168	17	0%	#1,946
1980s	7	165	172	17	+2%	#2,279
1990s	73	152	225	23	+31%	#2,969
2000s	43	92	135	14	-40%	#5,423
2010s	41	192	233	23	+73%	#4,007
2020s (to 2025)	19	113	132	22	-6%	#4,298

Where Carlyle is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	19	0.01	outside top 500
2027	18	0.01	outside top 500
2028	18	0.01	outside top 500
2029	17	0.01	outside top 500
2030	17	0.01	outside top 500

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.

How old are people named Carlyle?

The median living Carlyle is about 45 years old; half are between 21 and 71. An estimated 1,700 people named Carlyle are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

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

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Carlyle Blackwell American silent film actor, director, and producer (1884–1955) 19th century
2 Carlyle Glean Grenadian politician (1932–2021) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Carlyle, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Carlyle?

The median living Carlyle is about 45 years old. Half of all living Carlyles are between 21 and 71 years old.

How many people named Carlyle are alive today?

An estimated 1,700 people named Carlyle are alive in the United States, based on 4,071 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

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.

Will Carlyle become more popular?

Carlyle is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 17 boys named Carlyle in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Carlyle?

Well-known people named Carlyle include Carlyle Blackwell (actor), Carlyle Glean (politician).

Names like Carlyle

Names that sound and feel close to Carlyle: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Carlyle with similar names → More names starting with C →