Kartini f IndonesianDerived from Indonesian
karti meaning
"act, deed", ultimately from Sanskrit
कृति (kṛti). A notable bearer was the Indonesian women's rights activist Kartini (1879-1904).
Kashi f HindiFrom the name of a holy city in India, famous for its many temples dedicated to the Hindu god
Shiva. Its name is derived from Sanskrit
काशि (kāśi) meaning "shining".
Kasumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from
花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with
澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kate f English, CroatianShort form of
Katherine, often used independently. It is short for
Katherina in Shakespeare's play
The Taming of the Shrew (1593). It has been used in England since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer is the British actress Kate Winslet (1975-).
Katherine f EnglishFrom the Greek name
Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name
Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from
ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning
"each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess
Hecate; it could be related to Greek
αἰκία (aikia) meaning
"torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning
"my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek
καθαρός (katharos) meaning
"pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from
Katerina to
Katharina to reflect this.
... [more] Katida f EsperantoFrom Esperanto
katido meaning
"kitten", ultimately from Latin
cattus.
Katina f Greek, Macedonian, BulgarianGreek contracted form of
Katerina. This name had a spike in popularity in America in 1972 when it was used for a newborn baby on the soap opera
Where the Heart Is.
Katniss f LiteratureFrom the English word
katniss, the name of a variety of edible aquatic flowering plants (genus Sagittaria). Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist of
The Hunger Games series of novels by Suzanne Collins, released 2008 to 2010, about a young woman forced to participate in a violent televised battle.
Katsuko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" and
子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Katsumi m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
克 (katsu) meaning "overcome" or
勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or
己 (mi) meaning "self". Other kanji combinations having the same pronunciation can also form this name.
Katyusha f RussianDiminutive of
Yekaterina. This is the name of a 1938 Soviet song, which became popular during World War II.
Kauʻi f & m HawaiianMeans
"the youthful one" from Hawaiian
ka, a definite article, and
uʻi "youth, beauty".
Kaur f Indian (Sikh)Means
"princess", ultimately from Sanskrit
कुमारी (kumārī) meaning "girl". This surname was assigned to all female Sikhs in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh. It is now used as a surname or a middle name by most female Sikhs. The male equivalent is
Singh.
Kausalya f HinduismMeans
"of the Kosala people" in Sanskrit. Kosala was an ancient Indian kingdom that was at its most powerful in the 6th century BC. Kausalya is the mother of the hero
Rama in the Hindu epic the
Ramayana.
Kausar f & m Urdu, KazakhUrdu and Kazakh form of
Kawthar. It is a unisex name in Urdu, but solely feminine in Kazakh.
Kaveri f HindiFrom the name of the Kaveri River in southern India.
Kawehi f & m HawaiianMeans
"the adornment" from Hawaiian
ka, a definite article, and
wehi "adornment".
Kawisenhawe f MohawkMeans
"she holds the ice" in Mohawk, from
ka- "she",
ówise "ice" and
-hawe "hold, have".
Kawthar f ArabicMeans
"abundance" in Arabic. This is the name of the 108th chapter (surah al-Kawthar) of the Quran.
Kayce m & f English (Modern)Variant of
Casey or
Case (depending on the pronunciation). It was popularized by the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) from the television series
Yellowstone (2018-2024).
Kayla f EnglishCombination of the popular phonetic elements
kay and
la. Use of the name greatly increased after 1982 when the character Kayla Brady began appearing on the American soap opera
Days of Our Lives.
Kaylee f English (Modern)Combination of the popular phonetic elements
kay and
lee. This name, in various spellings, steadily rose in popularity starting in the 1980s. This particular spelling peaked in America in 2009, ranked 26th, and has since declined.
Kayoko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
加 (ka) meaning "add, increase" or
佳 (ka) meaning "good, auspicious, beautiful" combined with
代 (yo) meaning "generation, era" or
余 (yo) meaning "surplus" and finishing with
子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Kayra m & f TurkishMeans
"kindness, favour" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
خير (khayr) meaning "goodness, charity".
Kazue f JapaneseFrom Japanese
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" or
一 (kazu) meaning "one" combined with
枝 (e) meaning "branch" or
恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other combinations of kanji characters can potentially form this name.
Kazuko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
一 (kazu) meaning "one" or
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.
Kazumi f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" or
一 (kazu) meaning "one" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Keahi f & m HawaiianMeans
"the fire" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
ahi "fire".
Keala f & m HawaiianMeans
"the path" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
ala "path".
Kealoha f & m HawaiianMeans
"the loved one" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
aloha "love".
Keanu m & f HawaiianMeans
"the cool breeze" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
anu "coolness". This name is now associated with Canadian actor Keanu Reeves (1964-).
Keely f EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Caolaidhe, itself derived from the given name
Caoladhe, from Irish
caol "slender".
Kefilwe m & f TswanaMeans
"I was given" in Tswana, derived from
filwe "given".
Kehinde m & f YorubaMeans
"comes last" in Yoruba. It is typically given to the second of twins.
Kei m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
慧 (kei) meaning "intelligent",
圭 (kei) meaning "gemstone" or
慶 (kei) meaning "celebration". This name can also be formed from other kanji or kanji combinations.
Keighley f English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from an English place name, ultimately meaning
"clearing belonging to Cyhha". The Old English given name
Cyhha is of unknown meaning. This name also serves as a variant of
Kaylee.
Keiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
慶 (kei) meaning "celebration",
敬 (kei) meaning "respect",
啓 (kei) meaning "open, begin" or
恵 (kei) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Keitumetse f & m TswanaMeans
"I am happy" in Tswana, from
itumetse meaning "happy".
Kelebogile f & m TswanaMeans
"I am thankful" in Tswana, derived from
leboga "to be thankful, to thank".
Kelila f HebrewFrom Hebrew
כְּלִיל (kelil) meaning
"crown, wreath, garland" or
"complete, perfect".
Kelly m & f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Irish given name
Ceallach or the surname derived from it
Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).
... [more] Kelsey f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that is derived from town names in Lincolnshire. It may mean "Cenel's island", from the Old English name
Cenel "fierce" in combination with
eg "island".
Kendall m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that comes from the name of the city of Kendale in northwestern England meaning
"valley on the river Kent". Originally mostly masculine, the name received a boost in popularity for girls in 1993 when the devious character Kendall Hart began appearing on the American soap opera
All My Children.
Kennedy f & m English, IrishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Ó Cinnéidigh, itself derived from the given name
Cennétig. The name has sometimes been given in honour of assassinated American president John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). It was popularized as a name for girls by Lisa Kennedy Montgomery (1972-), known simply as Kennedy, the host of the television program
Alternative Nation on MTV from 1992 to 1997.
Kenya f English, African AmericanFrom the name of the African country of
Kenya. The country is named for Mount Kenya, which in the Kikuyu language is called
Kĩrĩnyaga meaning "the one having stripes". It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 1960s.
Kenyatta m & f African AmericanFrom a surname used by the first president of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta (1897-1978). He adopted the surname in his youth, supposedly from a type of ornamental belt worn by the Maasai people.
Keone m & f HawaiianMeans
"the homeland" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
one "sand, homeland".
Keren f HebrewMeans
"horn" or
"ray of light" in Hebrew.
Keren-Happuch f BiblicalMeans
"horn of antimony" in Hebrew. Antimony is a substance that was formerly used as an eye cosmetic (eye shadow). A hollowed animal horn could have been used to store this material. Keren-Happuch is the name of the third daughter of
Job in the Old Testament.
Kerry m & f EnglishFrom the name of the Irish county, called
Ciarraí in Irish Gaelic, which means "
Ciar's people".
Kesha 2 f African AmericanVariant of
Keisha. A famous bearer is the American musician Kesha Sebert (1987-), who is simply known as Kesha. Though the musician is white, this name was most commonly used by African-American parents in the 1970s.
Kestrel f English (Rare)From the name of the bird of prey, ultimately derived from Old French
crecelle "rattle", which refers to the sound of its cry.
Ketut m & f BalinesePossibly from a Balinese word meaning
"small banana". This name is traditionally given to the fourth child.
Keziah f BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
קְצִיעָה (Qetsiʿa) meaning
"cassia, cinnamon", from the name of the spice tree. In the Old Testament she is a daughter of
Job.
Keziban f TurkishMeaning uncertain, possibly derived from Persian
کدبانو (kadbānū) meaning
"housewife, lady of the house" or Arabic
تكذبون (takdhibūna) meaning
"you deny", a word repeated several times in the 55th chapter of the Quran (surah ar-Rahman).
Khadija f Arabic, Urdu, BengaliMeans
"premature child" in Arabic. This was the name of the Prophet
Muhammad's first wife and the mother of all of his children, with the exception of one. She was a wealthy merchant and a widow when they married in the year 595. Muhammad received his first revelation 15 years after their marriage, and she was the first person to convert to Islam.
Khaing f & m BurmeseMeans
"firm, strong" in Burmese, possibly of Shan origin.
Khaleesi f LiteratureFrom a title used in the George R. R. Martin book series
A Song of Ice and Fire (first published 1996) and the television adaptation
Game of Thrones (2011-2019). It is a feminine form of the Dothraki title
khal meaning "warlord". In the series
Daenerys Targaryen gains this title after she marries Khal Drogo.
Khamphet m & f LaoFrom Lao
ຄຳ (kham) meaning "gold" and
ເພັດ (phet) meaning "diamond, gem".
Khatuna f GeorgianFrom the Turkic title
khatun meaning
"lady, woman", a feminine form of
khan.
Khawla f ArabicPossibly means
"gazelle, doe" in Arabic. This was the name of a female companion of the Prophet
Muhammad.
Khayra f ArabicMeans
"good deed" in Arabic, a derivative of
خير (khayr) meaning "goodness, charity".
Khloe f English (Modern)Variant of
Chloe. This particular variant was popularized by the television personality Khloé Kardashian (1984-) after she began appearing with her family on the reality show
Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2007.
Khordad f & m Persian MythologyModern Persian form of
Haurvatat. From the Middle Persian era, this deity was often considered masculine. The third month of the Iranian calendar is named for her.
Khulan f MongolianMeans
"onager, wild donkey" in Mongolian. This was the name of a wife of Genghis Khan.
Khushi f HindiMeans
"happiness" in Hindi, ultimately from Persian
خوشی (khūshī).
Ki f Sumerian MythologyMeans
"earth" in Sumerian. This was the name of the Sumerian goddess of the earth, the consort of
An.
Kiana 1 f Hawaiian, EnglishHawaiian form of
Diana. It was brought to wider attention in the late 1980s, likely by the Hawaiian fitness instructor Kiana Tom (1965-), who had a television show on ESPN beginning in 1988.
Kiara f English (Modern)Variant of
Ciara 1 or
Chiara. This name was brought to public attention in 1988 after the singing duo Kiara released their song
This Time. It was further popularized by a character in the animated movie
The Lion King II (1998).
Kielo f FinnishMeans
"lily of the valley" in Finnish (species Convallaria majalis).
Kiku f JapaneseFrom Japanese
菊 (kiku) meaning "chrysanthemum", as well as other kanji characters that are pronounced the same way.
Kim 1 f & m English, Dutch, GermanAt 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.
Kimberly f EnglishFrom the name of the city of
Kimberley in South Africa, which was named after Lord
Kimberley (1826-1902). The city came to prominence in the late 19th century during the Boer War.
Kimberly has been used as a given name since the mid-20th century, eventually becoming very popular as a feminine name.
Kimiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
貴 (ki) meaning "valuable" with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or
君 (kimi) meaning "lord, noble" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Kincső f HungarianDerived from Hungarian
kincs meaning
"treasure". This name was created by Hungarian author Mór Jókai in
The Novel of the Next Century (1872).
Kineret f HebrewFrom the name of a large lake in northern Israel, usually called the Sea of Galilee in English. Its name is derived from Hebrew
כִּנּוֹר (kinnor) meaning "harp" because of its shape.
Kingsley m & f English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"king's wood" in Old English. This name may have received a minor boost in popularity after the release of the 2007 movie
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, featuring the character Kingsley Shacklebolt.