King Boy

Popularity: #377 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: king //kɪŋ//

Origin: English; Old English

Meaning: Ruler; monarch

Historical & Cultural Background

The name King has its roots in the Old English word "cyning," which means "king" or "ruler." This term is derived from the Proto-Germanic *kuningaz, which also signifies a leader or sovereign. The evolution of the name can be traced through various linguistic stages, including Old Norse "konungr" and Middle English "kinge," before it entered the modern English lexicon as "king." The term has consistently been associated with authority and leadership throughout its history, reflecting the social hierarchies of various cultures.

Historically, the title of king has been significant in numerous cultures, particularly in medieval Europe, where kings were central figures in governance and warfare. The name King has been borne by various notable historical figures, including monarchs in England and other European nations.

The concept of kingship is also prominent in biblical texts, where figures such as King David and King Solomon are celebrated for their leadership and wisdom, influencing the cultural perception of the name. The King James Bible, published in the early 17th century, further solidified the term's prominence in English-speaking cultures, as it included numerous references to kings and their roles in society.

Culturally, the name King carries connotations of nobility, power, and respect. It has been used in various contexts, from literature to folklore, often symbolizing the ideal of a just and benevolent ruler.

The name's enduring presence in English-speaking societies can be attributed to its strong associations with authority and governance, as well as its historical significance in the context of leadership. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Kenny" or "Kian" have emerged in some cultures, though they are less commonly recognized than the original form.

Overall, the name King encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic, historical, and cultural significance.

Famous people named King

In this section, you will find notable people named King. 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 King who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named King 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.

King Solomon is a biblical figure best known for his wisdom, the Book of Proverbs, and the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem.

King Tutankhamun is an ancient Egyptian pharaoh best known for his intact tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings and the treasures within it.

King Charles III is the current monarch of the United Kingdom best known for his role in the British royal family and his environmental advocacy.

King Kong is a fictional giant ape best known for his appearances in films such as King Kong (1933), King Kong (2005), and Kong: Skull Island (2017).

King Crimson is a progressive rock band best known for their albums In the Court of the Crimson King, Red, and Discipline.

Fictional characters named King

The following list of fictional characters named King 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.

King is a fictional character from the anime and manga series One Piece. He is a member of the Beast Pirates and serves as one of the main antagonists in the Wano Country arc.

King is a fictional character from the video game series The Legend of Zelda. He is often depicted as a ruler or leader within the various kingdoms in the franchise, playing significant roles in the overarching narrative.

Sibling suggestions

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

PrinceDukeKnightBaronLordSquire

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with King. 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.

AceMaxJettRexCashZaneTroyBeau

U.S. Historical Usage

The name King was first seen in the United States in 1880.

King has ranked as high as #271 nationally, which occurred in 2017, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, and New York.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name King 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 King 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 King.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 786 786 0
2024 1,006 1,006 0
2023 1,286 1,286 0
2022 1,656 1,656 0
2021 2,060 2,055 5
2020 2,268 2,268 0
2019 2,478 2,473 5
2018 2,619 2,613 6
2017 2,705 2,696 9
2016 2,677 2,672 5
2015 2,568 2,568 0
2014 2,438 2,438 0
2013 2,110 2,110 0
2012 1,434 1,434 0
2011 730 730 0
2010 706 706 0
2009 591 591 0
2008 329 329 0
2007 321 321 0
2006 219 219 0
2005 149 149 0
2004 77 77 0
2003 70 70 0
2002 57 57 0
2001 63 63 0
2000 74 74 0
1999 46 46 0
1998 52 52 0
1997 45 45 0
1996 38 38 0
1995 40 40 0
1994 50 50 0
1993 42 42 0
1992 40 40 0
1991 39 39 0
1990 47 47 0
1989 28 28 0
1988 30 30 0
1987 21 21 0
1986 31 31 0
1985 41 41 0
1984 31 31 0
1983 31 31 0
1982 54 54 0
1981 40 40 0
1980 28 28 0
1979 41 41 0
1978 36 36 0
1977 28 28 0
1976 26 26 0
1975 30 30 0
1974 25 25 0
1973 24 24 0
1972 41 41 0
1971 34 34 0
1970 31 31 0
1969 27 27 0
1968 42 42 0
1967 37 37 0
1966 37 37 0
1965 45 45 0
1964 82 77 5
1963 42 42 0
1962 59 59 0
1961 35 35 0
1960 53 53 0
1959 60 60 0
1958 53 53 0
1957 64 64 0
1956 59 59 0
1955 68 68 0
1954 77 77 0
1953 63 63 0
1952 93 93 0
1951 81 81 0
1950 90 90 0
1949 79 79 0
1948 84 84 0
1947 79 79 0
1946 78 78 0
1945 80 80 0
1944 82 82 0
1943 86 86 0
1942 105 105 0
1941 70 70 0
1940 75 75 0
1939 87 87 0
1938 91 91 0
1937 85 85 0
1936 71 71 0
1935 67 67 0
1934 91 91 0
1933 79 79 0
1932 67 67 0
1931 73 73 0
1930 90 90 0
1929 99 94 5
1928 81 81 0
1927 85 85 0
1926 113 113 0
1925 95 95 0
1924 109 109 0
1923 100 100 0
1922 114 114 0
1921 99 99 0
1920 108 108 0
1919 120 120 0
1918 89 89 0
1917 90 90 0
1916 102 102 0
1915 111 111 0
1914 74 74 0
1913 58 58 0
1912 72 72 0
1911 32 32 0
1910 47 47 0
1909 31 31 0
1908 37 37 0
1907 37 37 0
1906 28 28 0
1905 24 24 0
1904 24 24 0
1903 19 19 0
1902 29 29 0
1901 15 15 0
1900 33 33 0
1899 23 23 0
1898 27 27 0
1897 32 32 0
1896 24 24 0
1895 24 24 0
1894 20 20 0
1893 23 23 0
1892 26 26 0
1891 13 13 0
1890 21 21 0
1889 21 21 0
1888 27 27 0
1887 13 13 0
1886 23 23 0
1885 25 25 0
1884 25 25 0
1883 22 22 0
1882 26 26 0
1881 20 20 0
1880 27 27 0

Top States for King (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 118
12%
FL 114
12%
CA 88
9%
GA 76
8%
NY 57
6%
NC 46
5%
PA 36
4%
SC 33
3%
OH 32
3%
MI 29
3%
IL 26
3%
MD 23
2%
VA 23
2%
MO 23
2%
NV 21
2%
AZ 18
2%
NJ 18
2%
TN 18
2%
WA 17
2%
IN 16
2%
AL 14
1%
LA 13
1%
MA 13
1%
CT 10
1%
OK 10
1%
NM 9
1%
DC 9
1%
MS 8
1%
MN 8
1%
OR 8
1%
CO 7
1%
UT 7
1%
HI 7
1%
WI 7
1%
KY 6
1%
AR 6
1%