boy's name
Kiel
- Origin German
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 4
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 2,680
Scotland
#297
1986 births
Kiel is a boy's name with 1 syllable. In 2025 it was given to 6 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Kiel is a name of German origin.
- Peaked in 1983, when 287 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 552,792 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1961.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Kiel over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1960s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 27 |
| 1970s | 91 |
| 1980s | 1,529 |
| 1990s | 514 |
| 2000s | 214 |
| 2010s | 107 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 53 |
How popular is Kiel?
In 2025, Kiel was given to 6 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Where Kiel is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Kiel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Kiel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Kiel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Kiel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Kiel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Kiel
How popular is the name Kiel?
In 2025, Kiel was given to 6 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Kiel a girl's or a boy's name?
Kiel is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Kiel?
Kiel has 1 syllable.
When was Kiel most popular?
Kiel peaked in 1983, when 287 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Kiel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Kiel currently ranks #11,260 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.