Is Khalil a boy or a girl name?

Khalil is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Khalil are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Khalil in 2023?

Khalil ranks #14330 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2020 with 1,242 babies.

How do you pronounce Khalil?

Khalil is pronounced kha-LEEL (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Khalil?

Khalil is also written as Khaleel, Kalil.

A name from Arabic · Boy

Khalil

خَلِيل

"Close friend, sincere companion." Epithet of the Prophet Ibrahim, known as Khalīl Allāh ("the friend of God"), Qur'an 4:125.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 66-year arc in numbers.

23,364 U.S. births recorded from 1957–2023.

Popularity · 1957–2023

988 births in 2023

1957 1990 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

K"Close friend, sincere companion." Epithet of the Prophet Ibrahim, known as Khalīl Allāh ("the friend of God"), Qur'an 4:125.

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: kh-l-l — خ-ل-ل, close friendship

Regional variants

Carries extra resonance for Arab-American families familiar with the Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran, whose book *The Prophet* is a US literary staple.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Khalil".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Khaleel Most common Kalil

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Khalil.

K
Khalil Gibran (Lebanese-American poet)
K
Khalil Mack (NFL player)

Quick answers

People often ask about Khalil.

What does the name Khalil mean?: Khalil means "Close friend, sincere companion." Epithet of the Prophet Ibrahim, known as Khalīl Allāh ("the friend of God"), Qur'an 4:125.
Where does the name Khalil come from?: Khalil is a boy name of Arabic origin. Carries extra resonance for Arab-American families familiar with the Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran, whose book *The Prophet* is a US literary staple.
Is Khalil a boy or a girl name?: Khalil is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Khalil are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Khalil in 2023?: Khalil ranks #14330 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2020 with 1,242 babies.
How do you pronounce Khalil?: Khalil is pronounced kha-LEEL (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Khalil?: Khalil is also written as Khaleel, Kalil.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.