Gender Feminine & Masculine
Usage English
Pronounced Pron. KIM  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

At the present it is usually considered a short form of Kimberly, but it in fact predates it as a given name. The author Rudyard Kipling used it for the title hero of his novel Kim (1901), though in this case it was short for Kimball. In her novel Show Boat (1926) Edna Ferber used it for a female character who was born on the Mississippi River and was named from the initials of the states Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi. The name was popularized in America by the actresses Kim Hunter (1922-2002) and Kim Novak (1933-), both of whom assumed it as a stage name.

Related Names

DiminutivesKimmie, Kimmy
Same SpellingKim 2, Kim 3
User SubmissionKim

Popularity

People think this name is

modern   informal   common   wholesome   strong   boring   simple  

Categories

Entry updated November 16, 2019