Kim
Kim is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Bold leader, chief, or warrior (via Kimball).
Origin and history
Kim as a masculine given name in the United States often originated as a short form of Kimball, Kimball's surname usage, or as a reference to the main character in Rudyard Kipling's 1901 novel 'Kim'. While historically common for boys in the mid-20th century, its contemporary U.S. usage for males is relatively rare.
Popularity in the United States
34,951 babies in the United States have been named Kim since 1880. It ranks #617 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1871.
States where it is most popular
- CA (8.9 %)
- MI (8.4 %)
- OH (6.4 %)
- NY (5.7 %)
- IL (5.2 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 22 |
| 1920-1930 | 66 |
| 1930-1940 | 310 |
| 1940-1950 | 2,722 |
| 1950-1960 | 21,208 |
| 1960-1970 | 7,188 |
| 1970-1980 | 1,818 |
| 1980-1990 | 911 |
| 1990-2000 | 407 |
| 2000-2010 | 150 |
| 2010-2019 | 93 |
| 2020-2029 | 56 |
Famous people named Kim
- Kim Stanley Robinson: Author, Novelist
- Kim Coates: Actor
Fun facts
- The masculine use of Kim in the 20th century was popularized by Rudyard Kipling's famous 1901 novel, 'Kim'.
- As a masculine name, Kim often derives as a diminutive of Kimball, an Old English name meaning 'bold leader'.