Kinley
Kinley was the 692nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 409 babies. Its best year was 2012, when it ranked 180th with 1,750 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 457 places. More babies were named Kinley in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning from McKinley, 'son of the fair warrior' · Scottish Gaelic
Say it KIN-lee /ˈkɪnli/
- Rank in 2025
- #692 girls, down 258 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 409girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20121,750 babies
- Total since 1880
- 20,313babies recorded
What does the name Kinley mean?
Kinley is shortened from McKinley, a Scottish surname. Wiktionary derives McKinley from Gaelic Mac Fhionnlaoich, "son of Fionnlaoch," a name meaning fair warrior (as in Finlay, from fionn, fair, and laoch, warrior or hero). Wiktionary adds that McKinley was briefly popular as a boys' name while William McKinley was president (1897 to 1901) and that its use for girls is modern.
Mac Fhionnlaoich (Scottish Gaelic, “son of Fionnlaoch”)Fionnlagh (Scottish Gaelic, “fair warrior”)
How sure is this? Probable. Wiktionary only; no edited surname dictionary checked.
Related names: McKinley, Mckinley, Kinsley, Finlay.
See also: Scottish names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Kinley' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'McKinley' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Finlay' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Kinley popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 354 since 1917.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #692 | 409 |
| 2020 | #434 | 707 |
| 2010 | #232 | 1,352 |
| 2000 | #1,440 | 128 |
| 1990 | #9,720 | 8 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Kinley, counting every spelling?
Kinley is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #470 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #692 for Kinley on its own. Together these spellings went to 675 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinley | 409 | #692 | 2,604 |
| Kynlee | 156 | #1,401 | 1,102 |
| Kinlee | 71 | #2,500 | 388 |
| Kynley | 7 | #12,597 | 57 |
| Kynlie | 8 | #11,473 | 50 |
| Kinnley | 14 | #7,695 | 48 |
| Kynli | 10 | #9,804 | 32 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Kinley?
409 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Kinley (0.11 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Kinley born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 21 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Kinley.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Kinley?
About 19,800 people born in the US named Kinley are alive today, with a median age of 12; half are between 8 and 15. That makes Kinley a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Kinley by state
How common Kinley was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Iowa (3.7×), West Virginia (3.3×), Mississippi (3.1×), Arkansas (3.1×), Nebraska (2.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Massachusetts, New Jersey, California.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Kinley: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kinley, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Kinley · Sibling names for Kinley
Kinley is also a nickname for Mckinley.
Questions about the name Kinley
What does Kinley mean?
Kinley means “from McKinley, 'son of the fair warrior'” (Scottish Gaelic origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Kinley?
Kinley was the 692nd most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 409 babies. Its best year was 2012, when it ranked 180th with 1,750 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 457 places. More babies were named Kinley in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Kinley a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Kinley in the US.
Where is Kinley most popular?
In 2021–2025, Kinley was most common in Alaska (1.86 per 1,000 girls), followed by Iowa and South Dakota.