Kim

Q: What does Kim mean?

Kim is a girls' name of English origin, short form of Kimberly; also a Korean name meaning 'gold'. Kipling's 1901 novel Kim made it a boy's name; it later became mainly a girl's name, short for Kimberly.

Gender: Girl
Say it: KIM
Origin: English
UK rank, 2025: #3,409 for girls
US rank, 2025: #4,171 for girls

Kim is a girls' name of English origin. In 2025 it ranked 3,409th for girls in the UK (7 babies) and 4,171st for girls in the US (34 babies).

What does Kim mean?

English: short form of Kimberly; also a Korean name meaning 'gold'

Kipling's 1901 novel Kim made it a boy's name; it later became mainly a girl's name, short for Kimberly.

Is Kim a girl's or a boy's name?

Kim is a girls' name. In 2025, it was given to 7 girls in the UK and 34 girls and 6 boys in the US.

How popular is Kim in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #3,409among girls
Babies in 2025: 7about 1 in 40,000 girls
Five-year trend: Risingup 38% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 7 girls in the UK were named Kim, making it the 3,409th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 3,009th. Its busiest year was 1996, with 118 girls.

Half of all the girls named Kim in the UK since 1996 were born between 1997 and 2007. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.

In 2015, 82% of the babies named Kim in the UK were girls.

Among girls in 2025, it was 3,332nd in England and Wales.

In the England and Wales top 100 for girls, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1964 (#56), 1974 (#87) and 1984 (#87).

1996Busiest: 118 in 19962025

Kim in the UK, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	7	#3,409
2024	5	#4,253
2023	10	#2,640
2022	7	#3,347
2021	8	#3,082
2020	8	#3,009
2019	5	#4,214
2018	3	#5,896
2017	7	#3,395
2016	6	#3,788
2015	14	#2,085
2014	24	#1,418
2013	7	#3,338
2012	11	#2,463
2011	9	#2,794
2010	16	#1,829
2009	14	#1,957
2008	24	#1,293
2007	16	#1,694
2006	19	#1,418
2005	25	#1,077
2004	33	#882
2003	26	#997
2002	40	#708
2001	58	#552
2000	43	#654
1999	56	#562
1998	70	#478
1997	92	#403
1996	118	#330

How popular is Kim in the US?

Rank in 2025: #4,171among girls
Babies in 2025: 34about 1 in 47,000 girls
Five-year trend: Steadydown 22% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 34 girls in the US were named Kim, making it the 4,171st most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 3,734th. Its busiest year was 1960, with 12,477 girls. It first appears in the records in 1914. 6 boys were also named Kim in 2025 (10,690th for boys).

Half of all the girls named Kim in the US since 1880 were born between 1958 and 1967, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 1932, 40% of the babies named Kim in the US were girls. By 2025 it was 85%, with more girls than boys since 1955.

1914Busiest: 12,477 in 19602025

Kim in the US, year by year

Year	Girls	Rank
2025	34	#4,171
2024	28	#4,770
2023	38	#3,909
2022	40	#3,763
2021	39	#3,800
2020	39	#3,734
2019	54	#3,002
2018	36	#4,000
2017	47	#3,346
2016	53	#3,100
2015	72	#2,501
2014	69	#2,558
2013	62	#2,768
2012	92	#2,078
2011	50	#3,266
2010	52	#3,158
2009	48	#3,408
2008	64	#2,802
2007	104	#1,971
2006	85	#2,248
2005	73	#2,403
2004	91	#2,018
2003	83	#2,103
2002	111	#1,653
2001	100	#1,774
2000	116	#1,540
1999	133	#1,334
1998	102	#1,595
1997	110	#1,488
1996	129	#1,316
1995	135	#1,251
1994	161	#1,113
1993	185	#997
1992	182	#1,023
1991	207	#926
1990	256	#786
1989	259	#756
1988	253	#740
1987	280	#666
1986	281	#656
1985	349	#564
1984	388	#506
1983	401	#490
1982	467	#456
1981	536	#410
1980	602	#381
1979	779	#308
1978	823	#281
1977	1,083	#230
1976	1,248	#195
1975	1,481	#178
1974	1,936	#144
1973	2,195	#129
1972	2,741	#118
1971	3,682	#101
1970	4,729	#78
1969	5,450	#66
1968	6,089	#57
1967	7,408	#49
1966	9,194	#43
1965	10,083	#43
1964	9,980	#42
1963	10,683	#39
1962	11,657	#37
1961	11,367	#36
1960	12,477	#34
1959	11,594	#35
1958	10,664	#40
1957	11,426	#35
1956	9,897	#38
1955	5,687	#75
1954	2,926	#134
1953	1,739	#182
1952	1,292	#216
1951	570	#331
1950	285	#480
1949	254	#512
1948	239	#534
1947	255	#520
1946	190	#581
1945	77	#856
1944	84	#833
1943	59	#1,036
1942	58	#1,024
1941	38	#1,222
1940	31	#1,347
1939	33	#1,291
1938	34	#1,250
1937	25	#1,493
1936	27	#1,413
1935	20	#1,720
1934	16	#2,002
1933	14	#2,160
1932	14	#2,234
1931	17	#1,940
1930	9	#3,053
1929	13	#2,436
1928	0	–
1927	7	#3,873
1926	9	#3,268
1925	8	#3,663
1924	9	#3,391
1923	6	#4,375
1922	0	–
1921	0	–
1920	5	#4,973
1919	0	–
1918	0	–
1917	0	–
1916	0	–
1915	0	–
1914	5	#3,617

Names like Kim

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Holly Amber Michelle Robyn Heather Paige Hope Sarah Jessica Faye Jade Molly

Names related to Kim

Kimi Kimia Kimmy Kima Kiomi Kiam Kimya Kimo

More English names

Lily Evelyn Hudson Ivy Harper Grace Violet Willow Daisy Poppy Riley Oakley Mason Cooper Ruby Hallie

Every English name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Kim: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/kim, updated 20 October 2026.