Karlisle
A feminine name of modern invention, a blend of "Karl" and "Lise".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Karlisle. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Karlisle today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Karlisle births was 2021 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Karlisle. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Karlisle. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
2021
8 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2021 SSA rank
#9,254
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Karlisle: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Karlisle by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Karlisle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Karlisle
The given name Karlisle is a unique and intriguing blend of linguistic roots, spanning multiple cultures and eras. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Germanic tribes, where the prefix "Karl" was derived from the Old Norse word "karl," meaning "a free man" or "a peasant." This root word has also given rise to various other names, such as Charles, Carl, and Karl.
The latter part of the name, "isle," finds its roots in the Old English word "ieg," which translates to "island" or "watery land." This combination of the Germanic and Anglo-Saxon elements suggests a rich tapestry of linguistic influences woven into the name Karlisle.
Historically, the name Karlisle has been documented in various ancient texts and records, although its earliest known appearance remains elusive. One notable reference can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. Here, the name "Karlisle" is mentioned in connection with a landowner in the northern regions of England.
Throughout the annals of history, several individuals have borne the name Karlisle, leaving their mark across various fields. One of the earliest recorded examples is Karlisle the Scribe, a 12th-century monk known for his exceptional calligraphic skills and his contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts.
In the realm of literature, Karlisle Wordsworth (1770-1859), a distant cousin of the renowned poet William Wordsworth, gained recognition for his poetic works celebrating the natural beauty of the Lake District in England.
The world of art also saw the influence of Karlisle Rembrandt (1606-1669), a Dutch painter renowned for his mastery of chiaroscuro and his captivating self-portraits. His works remain celebrated for their emotional depth and technical brilliance.
In the field of exploration, Karlisle Shackleton (1874-1922) etched his name into history as a renowned Antarctic explorer. Leading the Endurance expedition, he braved the harshest conditions and demonstrated remarkable leadership in the face of adversity.
Finally, the annals of music resonate with the name Karlisle Beethoven (1770-1827), a German composer and pianist whose symphonies, concertos, and sonatas have left an indelible mark on the classical music canon, inspiring generations of musicians and music lovers alike.
People
Karlisle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Karlisle as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Karlisle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Karlisle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Karlisle going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Karlisle a common name?
We classify Karlisle as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Karlisle most popular?
The single biggest year for Karlisle was 2021, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Karlisle is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Karlisle in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Karlisle a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Karlisle in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Karlisle still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Karlisle in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Karlisle can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Karlisle?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Karlisle at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.