Niles

Niles - A very unique male name

Niles appeared on the charts for the first time in 1917 on position #1531. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Niles and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Niles? 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 Niles. The baby boy name Niles was given to 5 baby boys in 2025, ranking #4198 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. Niles peaked in popularity 84 years ago in 1942 on position 904.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Niles, 1-5?

Niles is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Niles is currently topping the baby name charts in Washington at position #1,107 - and is the least popular in Washington at position #1,107.

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 Niles is where you live.

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Niles origin and meaning

English, ultimately Neil-related / surname

Uncertain — used as a given name from the surname Niles, itself linked to Neil, whose own origin is disputed

Niles began as a surname and has been used as a given name since the early 20th century in the data. Its best-known modern association is fictional psychiatrist Niles Crane. Because Neil's own derivation is disputed, Niles cannot be given a settled meaning.

Origin uncertain

Niles is a 5 letter name with 1 syllables.

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

Similar to Niles

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

Nels / Nils / Niels / Nyles /

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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 Niles

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 Niles 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 Niles?

1 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

NYLZ · /naɪlz/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Nyles — Respelling with a y.
• Niels — Scandinavian form of Nicholas; a separate established name.

Famous bearers

• Niles Crane — Fictional psychiatrist in the sitcom Frasier (Fictional, 1993) Fictional

Style

SurnameClassic

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Niles for its polished, slightly literary sound — a familiar shape that remains very rare.

Worth knowing

• Will often be heard as Miles or Neil.
• The Frasier character is the dominant association for many adults.