Carlisle

Carlisle - A very unique male name

Carlisle appeared on the charts for the first time in 1914 on position #1335. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Carlisle and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Carlisle? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Carlisle. The baby boy name Carlisle was given to 5 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3887 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 293,257 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Carlisle peaked in popularity 110 years ago in 1916 on position 1150.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Carlisle, 1-5?

Carlisle is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Carlisle is currently topping the baby name charts in North Carolina at position #1,304 - and is the least popular in North Carolina at position #1,304.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Carlisle is where you live.

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Carlisle origin and meaning

English place name

From the Cumbrian city Carlisle — Welsh caer, 'fort', added to Roman Luguvalium

Carlisle is the historic border city in Cumbria, its name layering a Welsh word for a fort over the Roman name Luguvalium, and a surname and occasional given name for centuries. US boys' use is sparse from 1914. Fiction gives this spelling a genuine first-name bearer in Carlisle Cullen of the Twilight books.

Attested etymology

Carlisle is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Carlisle, pop culture references for the name Carlisle and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Carlisle

We've found the following names that sound similar to Carlisle, sorted by popularity.

Charles / Carlos / Charleston / Carlis / Carles / Carlosdaniel / Corliss / Carols / Carlosmanuel / Charls /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Carlisle

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Carlisle a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Carlisle?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

kar-LYLE · /kɑrˈlaɪl/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Carlyle — The y-spelling of the surname name
• Carlile — Streamlined historical spelling

Famous bearers

• Carlisle Cullen — Vampire patriarch and doctor in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight novels (2005) (Fictional, 2005) Fictional

Style

Place nameSurnameLiterary

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Carlisle for a formal, aristocratic place name with literary and Twilight-era resonance.

Worth knowing

• Spelling is a hurdle — Carlyle and Carlile will both appear