Total births
3,856
Unisex name · since 1892
Carlyle
Since 1892, U.S. Social Security records show 3,856 babies named Carlyle, peaking in 1918. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5669
- among boys today
- 3,856
- born since 1892
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 60%
- more common than other boys
Carlyle currently ranks #5669 among unisex names in America, with 3,856 babies recorded since 1892.
Social Security Administration records show Carlyle recorded 3,856 times among boys since 1892, holding rank #5669 nationally today, ahead of 60% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1892 to 2025.
- #5669 among boys today
- 3,856 born since 1892
- 1920s peak decade
- 60% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Carlyle is currently the #5669 unisex name in America, more common than 60% of boys - 3,856 born since 1892, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5669
- among boys today
- 3,856
- born since 1892
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 60%
- more common than other boys
Carlyle vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5669
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 60% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Carlyle was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
115 babies were named Carlyle in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
How Carlyle compares
3,856 Top 14% higher than 86% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Carlyle's all-time total is 11x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Carlyle | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,856 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 115 | 23 | 22,252 |
Carlyle's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Carlyle splits its recorded history at 1963: 26% of all births land in the more recent half, 74% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1892 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 115 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Carlyle at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1918
Current rank
#5,669
Active since
1892
Carlyle popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1892–2025
- Peak year (1918)
- 115
- Annual births at peak, across 134 years of records
Carlyle popularity over time - girls
215 total births recorded since 1914 (Carlyle as girls' name)
Carlyle by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Carlyle's strongest decade.
791 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Carlyle births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 36
1890s
36 births
- 1900s 47
1900s
47 births
- 1910s
1910s
631 births
- 1920s
1920s
791 births
- 1930s
1930s
552 births
- 1940s
1940s
401 births
- 1950s
1950s
348 births
- 1960s 168
1960s
168 births
- 1970s 168
1970s
168 births
- 1980s 165
1980s
165 births
- 1990s 152
1990s
152 births
- 2000s 92
2000s
92 births
- 2010s 192
2010s
192 births
- 2020s 113
2020s
113 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 791 births (21% of all-time use).
How Carlyle compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Carlyle's total volume
Carlyle vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Carlyle by state
Where Carlyle concentrates geographically, total births since 1892
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 185 | 4.8% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 107 | 2.8% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 89 | 2.3% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 87 | 2.3% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 77 | 2.0% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 62 | 1.6% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 61 | 1.6% |
| #8 | Iowa | | 51 | 1.3% |
New York share of Carlyle's total US births 4.8%
Even split
185 of 3,856 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Carlyle appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Carlyle? ▼
Carlyle has been given to 3,856 babies in the U.S. since 1892, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #5669 as of the latest data. 115 babies were born in 1918, its single highest year.
When was Carlyle most popular? ▼
Carlyle was most popular in the 1920s decade with 791 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Carlyle most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Carlyle are New York (185 births), North Carolina (107 births), Illinois (89 births).
Is Carlyle a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Carlyle is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 3,856 births, and as a girl's name it has 215 births.
How long has the name Carlyle been used? ▼
Records for Carlyle go back to 1892, giving 134 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Carlyle? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Carl, Carlos, Carter, Carson, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Carlyle's data
- Carlyle's decade-level peak was the 1920s (791 total births); usage has since declined to 113 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Carlyles (185 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Carlyle
Nearby Names Like Carlyle
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Carlyle
Carl Boy
#1031 504,827 births
Carlos Boy
#135 307,036 births
Carter Boy
#46 206,833 births
Carson Boy
#124 132,774 births
Carlton Boy
#2791 48,890 births
Compare Carlyle side by side: Carlyle vs Carl Carlyle vs Carlos Carlyle vs Carter
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Carlyle
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1892–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Carlyle: #5669 Unisex Name - 3,856 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/carlyle. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Carlyle draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.