Kylin is a modern American name, usually seen as a blend of Kyle, from the Gaelic word for "narrow strait", with the fashionable -lin ending; it also happens to match the English spelling of the qilin, a "mythical creature" of Chinese legend. Kylen and Kylan are its close cousins. In the United States Kylin peaked at number 1287 in 2022 and ranks number 1739 among boys' names in 2025.