Given name & surname · also Gaelic
Kinley
Kinley is a feminine given name from Scottish Gaelic.
Meaning & origin
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1917. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kinley through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 20,313
- 354 boys · 19,959 girls
- Most popular year
- 2012
- 1,769 babies
- 2025
- 409
- #692 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −45%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 409 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 692 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 44.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 1,750 in 2012. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (34). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 15,841 as a first name in 2020; 2,940 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kinley’s family of names
In Greek usage, Kinley as a surname is a transliteration of Κίνλεϋ.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Kinley
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kinley, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kensley
Kensley is a feminine given name from Old English.
3% boys · 97% girls
Ainsley
“one's own meadow”
1% boys · 99% girls
Tenley
Tenley is a feminine given name from Old English.
>99% girls
Kenzie
“one who is fair; lightskinned”
1% boys · 99% girls
Tinley
Tinley is a feminine given name, probably from Old English.
>99% girls
Kendall
“from the royal valley”
15% boys · 85% girls
Briley
Briley is a feminine given name.
7% boys · 93% girls
Aubrey
“one who rules with elfwisdom”
3% boys · 97% girls