Kingsley

Kingsley - A very unique male name

Kingsley appeared on the charts for the first time in 1919 on position #1320. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Kingsley and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Kingsley? 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 Kingsley. The baby boy name Kingsley was given to 120 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1204 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 12,219 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kingsley peaked in popularity 10 years ago in 2016 on position 583.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Kingsley, 1-5?

Kingsley is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kingsley is currently topping the baby name charts in Maryland at position #608 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,274.

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 Kingsley is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Kingsley origin and meaning

English surname and place name, transferred

'King's wood or clearing' — from Old English cyninges leah

Kingsley is a place name turned surname turned first name, in use since 1919. Its modern American peak was 2016, riding the fashion for regal and surname names together, and it has fallen steeply since. The derivation from 'king's clearing' is straightforward Old English.

Attested etymology

Kingsley is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Kingsley

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

Kinsler / Kensley / Kingslee / Kinsley /

---

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 Kingsley

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 Kingsley 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 Kingsley?

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.

---

Pronunciation

KINGZ-lee · /ˈkɪŋzli/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: King

Famous bearers

• Kingsley Amis — English novelist, author of Lucky Jim (1922–1995) Historical
• Kingsley Ben-Adir — English actor known for playing Malcolm X and Bob Marley on screen (b. 1986) Contemporary

Style

SurnamePlace nameRoyal

Why parents choose it

Kingsley blends surname polish with a built-in 'king' — parents choose it for presence, and it still feels more British than American.

Worth knowing

• Down sharply from its 2016 peak; the overt 'king' element draws comment.