Kinley
Girl name · #693 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Kinley? In official American birth records, Kinley has been tracked continuously since 1979, giving it 46 years of documented American history.
Kinley is currently the #693 girl name in the United States — 409 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #235, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,401 girls born in 2025 was named Kinley.
The 46-year story
Kinley first appears in the Social Security records in 1979, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 1,750 girls were named Kinley — good for #180 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Kinley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kinley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kinley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kinley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kinley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kinley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kinley is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Kinley is most common in AR (0.9 per 1,000), MO (0.9 per 1,000), IN (0.8 per 1,000), WI (0.7 per 1,000), OK (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kinley is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kinley
Statistically, parents drawn to Kinley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kenley, Mckinley, Charley, Kensley, and Bentley.
KenleyMckinleyCharleyKensleyBentleyAinsleyBrinleyBrynley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kinley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 409 | #691 |
| 2024 | 485 | #617 |
| 2023 | 500 | #596 |
| 2022 | 593 | #526 |
| 2021 | 617 | #505 |
| 2020 | 707 | #434 |
| 2019 | 770 | #405 |
| 2018 | 984 | #331 |
| 2017 | 1,019 | #322 |
| 2016 | 1,248 | #254 |
| 2015 | 1,408 | #235 |
| 2014 | 1,619 | #209 |
| 2013 | 1,560 | #208 |
| 2012 | 1,750 | #180 |
| 2011 | 1,641 | #195 |
| 2010 | 1,352 | #232 |
| 2009 | 688 | #453 |
| 2008 | 462 | #665 |
| 2007 | 325 | #862 |
| 2006 | 292 | #908 |
| 2005 | 241 | #1011 |
| 2004 | 233 | #1014 |
| 2003 | 203 | #1084 |
| 2002 | 163 | #1228 |
| 2001 | 162 | #1238 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kinley?
In official American birth records, the name Kinley first appeared in 1979 (over 46 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 46 years.
Is Kinley a popular girl name?
Kinley ranked #693 among girls in 2025 with 409 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #235.
When was the name Kinley most popular?
Kinley peaked in 2012, when 1,750 American girls received the name (ranked #180 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kinley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,401 newborn American girls was named Kinley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.