Kyele
An invented name that does not have an established meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Kyele. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kyele today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kyele births was 2002 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kyele. 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 Kyele. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
2002
8 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2003 SSA rank
#11,965
Tracked since 2002
Popularity
Kyele: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kyele 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 Kyele during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13 | 0 | 13 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kyele
Kyele is a given name with roots tracing back to the Mbundu language spoken in Angola, a country located in southwestern Africa. The name is believed to have originated around the 16th century, during the time of the Mbundu Kingdom.
The name Kyele is derived from the Mbundu word "kiele," which means "sun" or "sunlight." In Mbundu culture, the sun held great significance as a symbol of life, warmth, and growth. Parents would often bestow this name upon their children as a way to imbue them with the positive qualities associated with the sun.
While there are no known direct references to the name Kyele in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its connection to the sun aligns with the reverence many ancient cultures held for celestial bodies and natural phenomena.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kyele can be found in historical records from the Mbundu Kingdom, where a prominent chief bore this name in the late 16th century. Another notable figure was Kyele Kiambamba, a respected elder and advisor to the Mbundu King in the early 17th century.
Throughout history, several individuals have carried the name Kyele, although records of their lives and accomplishments are sparse. One such person was Kyele Mbandu (1725-1795), a skilled hunter and warrior from the Mbundu tribe, who was renowned for his bravery and survival skills.
In the 19th century, Kyele Kalenga (1810-1887) was a respected herbalist and healer among the Mbundu people, known for her vast knowledge of medicinal plants and traditional remedies.
Another notable figure was Kyele Nzinga (1865-1939), a skilled artisan and potter who helped preserve and promote the traditional ceramic arts of the Mbundu culture.
While the name Kyele may not be as widely recognized in modern times, its roots in the Mbundu language and culture serve as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Angola.
People
Kyele + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kyele 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
Kyele: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kyele?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kyele 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Kyele a common name?
We classify Kyele as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kyele most popular?
The single biggest year for Kyele was 2002, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kyele is about 23 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 Kyele in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kyele a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kyele 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 Kyele still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kyele 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 Kyele 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 Kyele as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.