Kinsley Overview
- Meaning: Kinsley means “king’s meadow” according to its British roots.
- Gender: Kinsley is a gender-neutral name, but it’s most commonly a girl’s name in the United States.
- Origin: You can trace the roots of Kinsley back to Old English, to the word Cynesige, meaning royal victory.
- Pronunciation: “Kinz-lee”
- Popularity: Kinsley was a rare name until 2005, when it became popular. As of 2016, the name is very popular, though it hasn’t currently hit the top 50 baby names.
- Nicknames: Kin, Kinny, Kinz, Kinzie, Kiki, and Lee.
- Variations: Chineslai, Cinnsealach, Kinsale, Kinzler, Künzli, Rioch.
- Namesakes: Kinsley Scott Bingham, Kinsley Varney, Kinsley.
What Does Kinsley Mean?
Kinsley is a female name with British roots. It means the king’s meadow, instilling a feeling of peace and beauty. You can trace the name back to Old English with the root word Cynesige. Cyne means royal, and sige means victory, making this name sound powerful and successful.
What Is the Origin of the Name Kinsley?
Kinsley was originally a British surname, but people thought it was cute enough to be a first name. Because of that change, it’s somewhat unique but maintains a classy sound. The Old English background also makes the name feel timeless.
Irish people have used the name Kinsley as it evolved from the town Kinsale (1). It’s a seaport of County Cork, established in the 18th century.
How Popular is the Name Kinsley?
Kinsley was a rare name before 2005, not even appearing on the baby name charts. But from 2005 to 2008, it was fairly popular. By 2009, it was popular but skyrocketed in 2016 where it broke the top 100 and remains a popular name to this day (2).
How Do I Pronounce Kinsley?
The pronunciation for Kinsley is very straightforward. You pronounce the name Kinsley as Kinz-lee.
Is Kinsley a Boy or Girl Name?
Kinsley is a gender-neutral name, which means it can work well for both boys and girls. In the United States, it’s most commonly used as a girl’s name.
For men, the name Kinsley isn’t quite as popular (3). The more commonly used male variation is Kingsley.
Variations of Kinsley
Though the name has British roots, there are several variations of Kinsley from other countries:
- Chineslai (Old English)
- Cinnsealach (Gaelic)
- Kinsale (Irish)
- Kinzler (Scottish)
- Künzli (German)
- Rioch (Old Irish)
Nicknames for Kinsley
Kinsley is a name with just two syllables, but there are more than a few cute nicknames you can use. If you want to shorten your baby’s name, check out this list of appropriate nicknames:
- Kin
- Kinny
- Kinz
- Kinzie
- Kiki
- Lee
Similar Names to Kinsley
If you like the name Kinsley, but it’s not the right fit for your baby, you can find a similar name. These names have a similar sound to Kinsley and are unique yet timely!
- Ainsley
- Ashleigh
- Brinley
- Delaney
- Emery
- Everly
- Finley
- Hadley
- Kendall
- Kennedy
- Mackenzie
- Paisley
- Peyton
- Presley
- Teagan
- Tinsley
Middle Names for Kinsley
Kinsley is a solid first name, so you need a quality middle name to match. This list includes options that are a great complement to Kinsley.
- Alice
- Anne
- Beth
- Dawn
- Faith
- Grace
- Hope
- Isla
- Joy
- Kate
- Laine
- Marie
- Morgan
- Nicole
- Renee
- Skye
- Taylor
- Willow
Sibling Names for Kinsley
If you’re giving your baby Kinsley a sibling, you should find a compatible name. This list of names works well if you’re giving Kinsley a sister.
- Arabella
- Danielle
- Emmaline
- Fiona
- Gabriella
- Luna
- Michelle
- Rosalind
- Sophia
- Tabitha
This list includes names for Kinsley’s future brother.
- Corbin
- Declan
- Emmett
- Graham
- Henry
- Maxwell
- Nicholas
- Owen
- Rylan
- Xavier
Famous People Named Kinsley
There are several famous people named Kinsley. Many of the famous Kinsleys are younger children, so their stardom comes from their parents.
- Kinsley Bennett: Chance the Rapper’s daughter.
- Kinsley Deborrah: beauty care professional.
- Kinsley James Robinson Clark: daughter of Jenny Robison, an actress, and Travis Clark, a musician.
- Kinsley Kesler: daughter of Ryan Kesler, an ice hockey star.
- Kinsley Klassen: daughter of Steve Klassen, a snowboarder.
- Kinsley Scott Bingham: US Senator from Michigan.
- Kinsley Varney: YouTube star.
- Kinsley White: TikTok star.
Kinsley in Popular Culture
There aren’t any instances of the name Kinsley in popular culture. As it’s only become very popular since 2016, there should be an increase in characters with this name shortly.
However, the male version of Kinsley—Kingsley—has some occurrences in popular culture.
- Kingsley the Lion: a puppet on “The Walker Edmiston Show.”
- Kingsley Owen: a character from “Fresh Meat,” the TV show.
- Kingsley Shacklebolt: a character from the book series “Harry Potter.”
- Kingsley Tealeaf: a character in the online series “Critical Role.”
- Hank Kingsley: a character from “The Larry Sanders Show.”
- Peter Kingsley: a character from the TV series “24.”
- Roderick Kingsley: a character in Marvel Comics.
Kinsley FAQs
Now you’ve learned about the story behind the name Kinsley, and you have middle names and sibling names that sound great with it. In case you need more information before naming your baby, check out the answers to these frequently asked questions.
Is the Name Kinsley Irish?
No, the name Kinsley has English roots. It comes from the name “Cynesige” in Old English. Cyne means royal, and sige means victory. The name Kinsley means king’s meadow, but you can follow the path from Old English to now to appreciate the meaning.
How Rare Is the Name Kinsley?
Kinsley isn’t a rare name. Since 2005, it has been one of the most popular girls’ names in the United States. Since 2016, it has been very popular, breaking the top 100.
The name Kinsley is very rare for a boy in the Unitede States, where according to the Social Security website it hasn’t hit the top 1,000 baby names on the male charts.
Is Kinsley a Name in the Bible?
The name Kinsley isn’t in the Bible, but there’s room for a religious interpretation if that’s important to you! The name Kinsley means king’s meadow, and Psalm 10:16 says that “the Lord is King, forever and ever (4).”
