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Home › Baby Names Directory › Knightly

Knightly

♂ Boy

Pronounced NITE-lee /ˈnaɪt.li/High

Meaning: Knightly is the English adjective meaning 'like a knight; chivalrous, gallant'. As a name it also brushes against the surname Knightley (from Old English cniht, 'servant, youth, knight', plus leah, 'clearing'), familiar today through the actor Keira Knightley and Jane Austen's Mr. Knightley.Low

In 30 seconds: A word name with armor on: Knightly means 'chivalrous, like a knight' (said 'NITE-lee').
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningKnightly is the English adjective meaning 'like a knight; chivalrous, gallant'. As a name it also brushes against the surname Knightley (from Old English cniht, 'servant, youth, knight', plus leah, 'clearing'), familiar today through the actor Keira Knightley and Jane Austen's Mr. Knightley.
U.S. rank (2024)#13319 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2017
Total births (all-time)≈ 61

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201720122024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Knightly is the plain English adjective for behaving as a knight should: chivalrous, gallant, courteous. Its shadow is the surname Knightley, from Old English cniht ('youth, servant, knight') and leah ('woodland clearing') — a name Jane Austen gave her steadiest hero and one the actor Keira Knightley made famous. As a first name it is a modern, meaning-forward choice (said 'NITE-lee').

It appears only very rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, word-based, and gallant.

Did you know? Knightly is both an English word — 'chivalrous' — and a near-twin of the surname Knightley, worn by Jane Austen's Mr. Knightley and the actor Keira Knightley (said 'NITE-lee').
Overall data confidence 45%
References — Knightly — English word 'chivalrous'; surname Knightley (cniht + leah)

Variations

KnightleyKnightNightly

Nicknames

KnightNite

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Knightly…

Knight— the word at its core
Kingsley— a like noble-sounding surname name
Wesley— a like -ley ending pick
Archer— another medieval-flavored word name

Explore names like Knightly

By thememodernenglishword-namesurname-adjacent
By meaningYouth

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Knightly mean?

Knightly is the English word for 'chivalrous; like a knight', and it also echoes the surname Knightley.

How do you pronounce Knightly?

It's said NITE-lee /ˈnaɪt.li/ — two syllables, stress on the first; the K is silent.

Is Knightly a boy or girl name?

Here Knightly is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Knightly?

Knightly is a very rare name for boys in the U.S.

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