Fun Facts About the Name Knight
- 934 babies named Knight: U.S. records list 934 babies given the name Knight from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Knight Mean?
Knight is an English name taken from the surname Knight. The surname comes from the Middle English knyght, which developed from Old English cniht. In Old English, cniht meant 'boy, youth, servant, retainer.' By the Middle English period, knyght had become the usual word for a mounted warrior, especially a man who had been formally knighted. The given name therefore has the literal sense of 'knight' or 'mounted warrior,' while the older sense of 'servant' survives in the word's history. It is a transferred surname rather than a name with a separate ancient personal-name origin.
Knight Name History & Origins
The word behind Knight is Old English cniht, a Germanic term that appears in Old English writings meaning 'boy, youth, servant, retainer.' Related forms in other Germanic languages include Old High German kneht and Middle Dutch knecht, which also meant 'boy' or 'servant.' In the Middle English period, the form knyght came to mean a mounted warrior, especially one who had been formally knighted. Knights formed a recognized military and social rank in medieval England, and the word became associated with armed service and chivalric duties.
The surname Knight arose in medieval England from this word. It could be an occupational or status surname for a knight or for someone in a knight's service. Surnames became hereditary in England over the course of the Middle Ages, and Knight is an established English surname. The given name Knight is a later transferred use of that surname, part of the English-speaking practice of using surnames as first names. As a first name, it is a transferred surname rather than a traditional personal name inherited from the Middle Ages.
How Popular is the Name Knight?
Knight has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #2,048 in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,435 | 56 | 0.0033% |
| 2024 | #2,684 | 49 | 0.0029% |
| 2023 | #2,301 | 61 | 0.0036% |
| 2022 | #2,048 | 74 | 0.0042% |
| 2021 | #2,360 | 58 | 0.0033% |
| 2020 | #2,083 | 68 | 0.0039% |
| 2019 | #2,073 | 70 | 0.0039% |
| 2018 | #2,340 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 2017 | #2,226 | 60 | 0.0032% |
| 2016 | #2,454 | 52 | 0.0027% |
| 2015 | #2,316 | 57 | 0.0030% |
| 2014 | #2,781 | 43 | 0.0022% |
| 2013 | #2,874 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 2012 | #3,033 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 2011 | #3,141 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 2010 | #4,181 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2009 | #5,446 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2008 | #7,006 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #11,740 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #8,430 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #9,681 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #11,935 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #10,117 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #7,865 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #10,551 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #9,524 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1934 | #3,958 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #4,043 | 6 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Knight Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Knight's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Knight's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.