Kyle

Kyle is yet another of those surnames that is now used as a given name. It comes from a Gaelic word (caol) which means "narrow." That word was used as a geographical term to mean a channel or strait, which led to it being used a surname. I haven't found information yet on exactly when and where the name started to be used as a given name, but it was in use (for boys) at the beginning of the 1900's, made it to the top 100 in the 1970's, and has been there ever since. A few girls have been named Kyle, as well. These show up in the top 1000 in the 1950's, and again at the end of the 1980's. Why? In the 1980's it was probably because there was a fad for giving girls Gaelic or Celtic inspired names, regardless of the usual gender associated with the name. A comment by a reader at Behind the Name suggest that in the 1950's girls were named Kyle because of an Irish Soprano who appeared as a panelist on a game show. I'd assume that in her own case at least, the commenter is correct about the inspiration for her name--and probably for at least some, if not most of, the others. This is irrelevant, but since I'm writing this I'll mention it here anyway--Kyle is my favorite South Park character.