Kim
Clipping of Kimball and Kimberley as a male name, and of Kimberley and Kimberly as a female name.
Every Kim since 1912 — 214,768 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kim
Kim is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,228 in 2025 with 34 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1912, 214,768 American babies have been named Kim — about 84% girls and 16% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1960, when 13,635 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kim stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kim year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | #4,228 | 6 | #11,404 |
| 2024 | 28 | #4,834 | 13 | #6,661 |
| 2023 | 38 | #3,944 | 9 | #8,615 |
| 2022 | 40 | #3,797 | 10 | #8,069 |
| 2021 | 39 | #3,847 | 8 | #9,306 |
| 2020 | 39 | #3,750 | 10 | #7,828 |
| 2019 | 54 | #3,024 | 10 | #7,959 |
| 2018 | 36 | #4,040 | 5 | #13,263 |
| 2017 | 47 | #3,366 | 8 | #9,329 |
| 2016 | 53 | #3,120 | 7 | #10,265 |
| 2015 | 72 | #2,516 | 11 | #7,331 |
| 2014 | 69 | #2,571 | 19 | #4,980 |
| 2013 | 62 | #2,792 | 8 | #9,275 |
| 2012 | 92 | #2,087 | 9 | #8,557 |
| 2011 | 50 | #3,293 | 7 | #10,275 |
| 2010 | 52 | #3,181 | 9 | #8,489 |
| 2009 | 48 | #3,439 | 17 | #5,444 |
| 2008 | 64 | #2,819 | 7 | #10,531 |
| 2007 | 104 | #1,981 | 10 | #7,917 |
| 2006 | 85 | #2,259 | 10 | #7,756 |
| 2005 | 73 | #2,421 | 13 | #6,061 |
| 2004 | 91 | #2,025 | 18 | #4,702 |
| 2003 | 83 | #2,113 | 17 | #4,726 |
| 2002 | 111 | #1,661 | 14 | #5,279 |
| 2001 | 100 | #1,787 | 26 | #3,370 |
| 2000 | 116 | #1,546 | 18 | #4,306 |
| 1995 | 135 | #1,258 | 31 | #2,473 |
| 1990 | 256 | #787 | 66 | #1,374 |
| 1985 | 349 | #565 | 91 | #960 |
| 1980 | 602 | #383 | 113 | #830 |
| 1975 | 1,481 | #178 | 164 | #632 |
| 1970 | 4,729 | #78 | 318 | #456 |
| 1965 | 10,083 | #43 | 611 | #306 |
| 1960 | 12,477 | #34 | 1,158 | #237 |
| 1955 | 5,687 | #75 | 3,490 | #98 |
| 1950 | 285 | #481 | 795 | #232 |
| 1945 | 77 | #859 | 188 | #435 |
| 1940 | 31 | #1,363 | 66 | #763 |
| 1935 | 20 | #1,742 | 24 | #1,410 |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,198 | 7 | #3,447 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,863 | — | — |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,362 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | 5 | #4,121 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kim
- Kim Il-sung Politician · 1912–1994
- Kim Jong-il Politician · 1941–2011
- Kim Dae-jung Politician · 1924–2009
- Kim Basinger Actor · b. 1953
- Kim Young-sam Politician · 1927–2015
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kim mean?
Clipping of Kimball and Kimberley as a male name, and of Kimberley and Kimberly as a female name.
How popular is the name Kim in 2025?
Kim ranked #4,228 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 34 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kim?
214,768 babies have been named Kim in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kim most popular?
Kim peaked in 1960, when 13,635 newborns received the name.
Is Kim a boy or girl name?
Kim is used for both: about 84% of babies named Kim have been girls and 16% boys.
Is the name Kim rising or falling?
Kim is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kim?
Well-known people named Kim include Kim Il-sung (politician), Kim Jong-il (politician), Kim Dae-jung (politician).