Kimberly Girl

Popularity: #286 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KIM-bər-lee //ˈkɪm.bər.li//

Origin: English; French

Meaning: English: Cyneburg's field; French: From the wood of the royal fortress

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Kimberly has its roots in Old English, derived from the place name "Cyneburg," which means "royal fortress." The name evolved through various forms, with the earliest recorded usage appearing in the 11th century. The name was influenced by the Old English elements "cyne," meaning "royal," and "burh," meaning "fortress or stronghold." Over time, it transitioned into the Middle English form "Kimberle," before being adopted into modern English as Kimberly in the 20th century.

Historically, the name gained prominence in the 19th century, particularly in England, where it was associated with the town of Kimberley in South Africa, founded in the 1870s during the diamond rush. This connection contributed to the name's spread, as the town became a significant site of wealth and development during the colonial period.

Additionally, the name was popularized in literature and culture, with references in various works that highlighted its noble connotations. Culturally, Kimberly has been associated with strength and leadership, reflecting its etymological roots in royalty and fortification.

The name has also been linked to various notable figures throughout history, including saints and influential women, which has helped to maintain its relevance over the centuries. Diminutive forms such as Kim have emerged, further embedding the name within familial and social contexts.

Overall, Kimberly embodies a blend of historical significance and cultural resonance that has allowed it to endure through time.

Famous people named Kimberly

In this section, you will find notable people named Kimberly. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Kimberly who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Kimberly who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley is an actress best known for Father of the Bride, According to Jim, and Nashville.

Kimberly Elise is an actress best known for Set It Off, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and For Colored Girls.

Kimberly Snyder is a nutritionist and author best known for The Beauty Detox Solution, The Beauty Detox Foods, and Radical Beauty.

Fictional characters named Kimberly

The following list of fictional characters named Kimberly is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Kimberly Ann Hart is a fictional character from the TV series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. She is the original Pink Ranger and a skilled martial artist who plays a key role in the team's battles against evil.

Kimberly is a fictional character from the animated series The Amazing World of Gumball. She is a minor character who is known for her cheerful personality and friendship with the main characters.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Kimberly, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

KatherineJessicaAmandaLaurenEmilyRachel

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Kimberly. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

KendraKylieKaitlynKristenKaraKassandraKira

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Kimberly was first seen in the United States in 1933.

Kimberly has ranked as high as #10 nationally, which occurred in 1970, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Ohio, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Kimberly has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Kimberly is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Kimberly was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Kimberly.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,009 0 1,009
2024 1,286 0 1,286
2023 1,338 0 1,338
2022 1,392 0 1,392
2021 1,357 6 1,351
2020 1,560 0 1,560
2019 1,543 6 1,537
2018 1,705 0 1,705
2017 1,840 0 1,840
2016 2,332 0 2,332
2015 2,849 6 2,843
2014 2,902 0 2,902
2013 3,110 5 3,105
2012 3,327 10 3,317
2011 3,812 0 3,812
2010 3,880 9 3,871
2009 4,228 0 4,228
2008 4,829 15 4,814
2007 5,119 16 5,103
2006 5,023 12 5,011
2005 4,760 8 4,752
2004 4,867 20 4,847
2003 4,841 16 4,825
2002 4,798 8 4,790
2001 4,891 11 4,880
2000 5,254 10 5,244
1999 5,470 13 5,457
1998 5,738 16 5,722
1997 6,190 8 6,182
1996 7,201 25 7,176
1995 7,764 19 7,745
1994 8,784 37 8,747
1993 7,992 27 7,965
1992 8,929 34 8,895
1991 9,829 30 9,799
1990 10,227 36 10,191
1989 11,100 63 11,037
1988 12,001 53 11,948
1987 13,087 56 13,031
1986 14,484 64 14,420
1985 14,968 54 14,914
1984 14,505 60 14,445
1983 15,436 66 15,370
1982 16,174 73 16,101
1981 16,744 55 16,689
1980 18,580 83 18,497
1979 17,699 64 17,635
1978 16,952 73 16,879
1977 18,367 81 18,286
1976 19,023 61 18,962
1975 20,339 82 20,257
1974 22,522 95 22,427
1973 23,627 96 23,531
1972 26,373 91 26,282
1971 30,810 102 30,708
1970 34,243 113 34,130
1969 33,193 116 33,077
1968 32,016 110 31,906
1967 33,213 116 33,097
1966 32,348 116 32,232
1965 28,957 121 28,836
1964 24,227 99 24,128
1963 21,312 88 21,224
1962 20,443 80 20,363
1961 17,466 111 17,355
1960 16,951 97 16,854
1959 12,900 110 12,790
1958 10,850 140 10,710
1957 9,610 156 9,454
1956 6,891 161 6,730
1955 4,039 177 3,862
1954 2,231 144 2,087
1953 1,552 124 1,428
1952 1,058 92 966
1951 581 95 486
1950 484 39 445
1949 399 37 362
1948 344 29 315
1947 266 11 255
1946 136 6 130
1945 26 0 26
1944 26 5 21
1943 18 0 18
1942 25 0 25
1941 24 0 24
1940 18 5 13
1939 11 0 11
1938 10 0 10
1937 6 0 6
1936 5 0 5
1935 7 0 7
1934 6 0 6
1933 7 0 7

Top States for Kimberly (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 217
17%
CA 210
17%
FL 94
7%
NY 64
5%
NC 38
3%
TN 37
3%
GA 36
3%
IL 35
3%
PA 32
3%
WA 30
2%
VA 28
2%
NJ 27
2%
KY 26
2%
CO 25
2%
AZ 23
2%
OH 23
2%
AL 23
2%
SC 22
2%
MD 22
2%
NV 21
2%
IN 20
2%
MA 17
1%
UT 16
1%
OK 15
1%
OR 15
1%
MI 15
1%
AR 14
1%
IA 14
1%
MN 13
1%
MO 13
1%
NE 12
1%
KS 11
1%
ID 10
1%
NM 10
1%
WI 9
1%
CT 8
1%
LA 8
1%
MS 5
0%
DE 5
0%