Kule
A Thai name meaning beautiful or lovely.
Name Census estimates that about 91 living Americans carry the first name Kule. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kule today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kule births was 1988 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kule. 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 Kule. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
91
~ 1 in 3,766,531 Americans
Peak year
1988
16 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
1990 SSA rank
#7,689
Tracked since 1981
Popularity
Kule: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kule from the 1980s through to the 1990s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 89 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kule 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 Kule during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kule
The name Kule is believed to have originated from the Swahili language spoken in East Africa. The Swahili word "kule" means "over there" or "that place," suggesting a potential connection to a person's place of origin or residence.
In the early 19th century, during the height of the Swahili trading empire, the name Kule was documented in various coastal regions of present-day Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique. It was commonly used among the Swahili people, a ethnic group known for their maritime trade and cultural influence along the East African coast.
While no specific historical references to the name Kule have been found in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is believed to have been in use among the Swahili communities for centuries, possibly dating back to the 15th or 16th century.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kule was Kule bin Mwenye, a prominent Swahili trader who lived in the late 17th century on the island of Pemba, part of the Zanzibar Archipelago. Kule bin Mwenye was known for his successful trading ventures and his influential role in the local community.
Another notable figure was Kule Mshindo, a respected Swahili poet and storyteller from the 18th century. Kule Mshindo's works were widely celebrated for their rich imagery and cultural significance, capturing the essence of Swahili life and traditions.
In the 19th century, Kule Mwana was a prominent Swahili chief and leader who played a significant role in the resistance against colonialism in present-day Tanzania. His bravery and leadership during this period earned him a place in the annals of Swahili history.
During the early 20th century, Kule Mwambao was a renowned Swahili musician and composer, known for his innovative fusion of traditional Swahili rhythms with contemporary influences. His music helped preserve and popularize Swahili cultural heritage.
Finally, Kule Kambili, a Swahili artist and sculptor from the mid-20th century, gained recognition for his intricate wood carvings and sculptures depicting Swahili mythology and everyday life. His works are celebrated for their attention to detail and cultural significance.
While the name Kule has its roots in the Swahili culture, it has since spread to other regions and communities, carrying with it a sense of connection to the rich heritage of East Africa and the enduring influence of the Swahili people.
People
Kule + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kule 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
Kule: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kule?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 91 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kule 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 3,766,531 US residents.
Is Kule a common name?
We classify Kule as "Very Rare". It ranks above 63.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 95 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kule most popular?
The single biggest year for Kule was 1988, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kule is about 40 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 Kule in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kule a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kule 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 Kule still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kule 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 Kule 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 people have the name Kule?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Kule, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.