Miles
Say it: MYLZ/maɪlz/
Boy5 letters1 syllable
#211
in Ireland (2025)
#210 with spellings combined
22
babies in 2025
#203
best rank (2021)
187
babies since 2003
Up 489
10-year rank change
Miles through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | #210 |
| 2024 | 19 | #229 |
| 2023 | 22 | #210 |
| 2022 | 20 | #233 |
| 2021 | 25 | #203 |
| 2020 | 13 | #315 |
| 2019 | 13 | #311 |
| 2018 | 12 | #324 |
| 2017 | 5 | #547 |
| 2016 | 5 | #541 |
| 2015 | 3 | #699 |
| 2013 | 6 | #479 |
| 2012 | 5 | #548 |
| 2011 | 5 | #540 |
| 2010 | 6 | #491 |
| 2009 | 3 | #701 |
| 2003 | 3 | #500 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Miles mean?
Uncertain
Norman French, from the medieval name Milo, whose origin is uncertain.
Say it right
MYLZ
The story of Miles
Miles came to England with the Normans, whose form of the name was usually Milo. Its origin is uncertain. It may come from an old Germanic word, or from Slavic names beginning with mil-, meaning grace or favour. People have long linked it with the Latin miles, a soldier, but that is a later association rather than the true root.
In Ireland the spelling Myles was once used as an English stand-in for some Irish names beginning with Maol-. Famous bearers include the jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.
Miles first appears in the CSO records in 2003, with 3 boys. It became more common from the late 2010s and peaked in 2021, with 25 babies, when it reached number 203. In 2025 it was number 211, with 22 babies. The CSO counts Miles and Myles separately, and Myles has long been the more usual spelling in Ireland.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Miles (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Miles (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Miles | 22 | 187 |
In Northern Ireland
#395 in 2025 with 3 babies. Best rank #207 (2022); 62 babies since 2013.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.