Myles first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Myles has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Myles

A masculine name of Latin origin meaning "soldier" or "merciful".

Popularity of Myles by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Myles is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Myles being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 3,399 male babies and 29 female babies born with the name Myles.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 29 baby girls were named Myles in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 3,399 29
2022 3,337 21
2021 3,157 19
2020 2,951 21
2019 2,648 22
2018 2,101 15
2017 1,808 11
2016 1,698 17
2015 1,742 14
2014 1,669 9
2013 1,636 8
2012 1,620 13
2011 1,509 7
2010 1,355 7
2009 1,304 9
2008 1,307 5
2007 1,139 0
2006 1,050 6
2005 1,064 7
2004 1,075 8
2003 1,128 6
2002 970 0
2001 1,002 7
2000 1,044 5
1999 916 0
1998 931 0
1997 752 6
1996 652 0
1995 638 8
1994 712 5
1993 860 8
1992 585 0
1991 529 0
1990 521 0
1989 407 0
1988 385 0
1987 411 0
1986 382 0
1985 213 0
1984 162 0
1983 162 0
1982 153 0
1981 140 0
1980 112 0
1979 112 0
1978 105 0
1977 120 0
1976 95 0
1975 93 0
1974 75 0

The history of the first name Myles

Myles is a masculine given name of English origin, derived from the Latin name Milon, which itself is rooted in the Greek word "milos" meaning "soldier." The name likely emerged in the Middle Ages, as a variant of the more common English name Miles.

The earliest recorded use of the name Myles dates back to the 13th century, appearing in various historical documents and records from England. It was particularly popular among the English nobility and gentry during the medieval period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Myles was Sir Myles de Stapleton, a prominent English knight who lived in the late 13th century and served under King Edward I. Another notable figure from this era was Myles Coverdale, an English biblical translator and Puritan preacher who produced the first complete printed translation of the Bible into English in the 16th century (1488-1569).

During the Renaissance and Early Modern period, the name Myles gained further prominence. Sir Myles Partridge (1577-1662) was an English courtier and Member of Parliament who served under King Charles I. Myles Syndercombe (1629-1678) was an English politician and supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name continued to be used, though with less frequency. Myles Byrne (1780-1862) was an Irish soldier and memoirist who served in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and later joined the French Imperial Army under Napoleon. Myles Keogh (1840-1876) was an Irish-born officer in the United States Army who served during the American Civil War and was later killed in the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Other noteworthy historical figures with the name Myles include Myles Standish (c.1584-1656), an English military officer who played a leading role in the Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts, and Myles Dillon (1900-1972), an Irish scholar and professor of Early and Medieval Irish at University College Dublin.

Throughout its history, the name Myles has maintained a strong association with military service and leadership, reflecting its roots as a name derived from the Greek word for "soldier." While not as common as some other English names, it has endured as a distinct and historically significant name across various periods and cultures.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Myles was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Myles, please contact us.

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Myles first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on September 7, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/myles-meaning-and-history/.

"Myles first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/myles-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 7 September, 2024

Myles first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/myles-meaning-and-history/.

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