Miles is of uncertain origin: it came to England with the Normans as Milo and is usually explained through the Latin miles as "soldier", though a Germanic root meaning "merciful" or "mild" has also been proposed. Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis is the name's most celebrated American bearer. Miles ranked number 257 in the United States in 2000, climbed from number 107 in 2015 into the top 100 in 2018 and stands at number 44 among boys in 2025.