Kim - A very unique male name
Kim at a glance
Kim is ranked #3802 among boy baby names in 2003, with 5 births in 2003. It peaked in 1955 at #98 and first appeared on the charts in 1936.
- Rank in 2003
- #3802
- Births in 2003
- 5
- Peak year
- 1955 (#98)
- First appeared
- 1936
- Trend
- #2265 in 1993 → #3802 in 2003 (Falling)
- Popularity
- 1 in 353,568 boys
- Visitor rating
- 1.8/5 (5 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 353,568 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kim peaked in popularity 71 years ago in 1955 on position 98.
Famous with this name
Kim Coates
Kim Kardashian
Kim Do-hee
How would you rate Kim, 1-5?
Kim is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kim is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #1,806 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,806.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Kim is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Kim origin and meaning
English / Korean — multiple sources
For boys, most often a short form of Kimball or the surname Kim; Kim is also the commonest Korean family name, a separate source
Kim for boys crested with the 1950s — 3,486 births at its 1955 peak, 32,074 in total — before the name tipped decisively female in America. It has no row in 2020 or 2025.
Origin uncertain
Kim is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.
To see famous people named Kim, pop culture references for the name Kim and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Kim
We've found the following names that sound similar to Kim, sorted by popularity.
Kenny / Keegan / Ken / Kane / Keenan / Kayson / Kason / Kian / Kasen / Kyson /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 3802 |
| 1999 | 3538 |
| 1996 | 1803 |
| 1994 | 2222 |
| 1993 | 2265 |
| 1992 | 2197 |
| 1991 | 1780 |
| 1990 | 1485 |
| 1989 | 1270 |
| 1988 | 1035 |
| 1987 | 1260 |
| 1986 | 1483 |
| 1985 | 976 |
| 1984 | 991 |
| 1983 | 1036 |
| 1982 | 1096 |
| 1981 | 817 |
| 1980 | 847 |
| 1979 | 839 |
| 1978 | 839 |
| 1977 | 800 |
| 1976 | 723 |
| 1975 | 688 |
| 1974 | 681 |
| 1973 | 611 |
| 1972 | 534 |
| 1971 | 504 |
| 1970 | 462 |
| 1969 | 422 |
| 1968 | 386 |
| 1967 | 347 |
| 1966 | 316 |
| 1965 | 306 |
| 1964 | 275 |
| 1963 | 263 |
| 1962 | 252 |
| 1961 | 239 |
| 1960 | 237 |
| 1959 | 241 |
| 1958 | 205 |
| 1957 | 161 |
| 1956 | 119 |
| 1955 | 98 |
| 1954 | 110 |
| 1953 | 127 |
| 1952 | 126 |
| 1951 | 172 |
| 1950 | 233 |
| 1949 | 257 |
| 1948 | 303 |
| 1947 | 298 |
| 1946 | 330 |
| 1945 | 436 |
| 1944 | 546 |
| 1943 | 617 |
| 1942 | 808 |
| 1941 | 951 |
| 1940 | 849 |
| 1939 | 1130 |
| 1938 | 1062 |
| 1937 | 1087 |
| 1936 | 895 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| New York | 1806 |
Even more about Kim
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Kim a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Kim?
1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
KIM · /kɪm/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Spellings and nicknames
- Kimball — A usual full form for boys
Famous bearers
- Kim — Kimball O'Hara, the hero of Rudyard Kipling's novel Kim (Fictional, 1901) Fictional
Why parents choose it
A mid-century boys' short form that American ears now file as female almost automatically.
Worth knowing
- Assumed female in the U.S.; as a Korean name, Kim is a surname, not this name
