Kit Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: kit /kɪt/
Origin: English; Greek
Meaning: English: pure; Greek: follower of Christ
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Kit has its roots in the Old English word "cicca," which means "kitten" or "young cat." This term evolved through various linguistic stages, including the Middle English "kitten," which referred to a small cat or a young animal. The name Kit is often considered a diminutive form of Christopher or Katherine, deriving from the Greek "Christophoros," meaning "bearer of Christ," and the Greek "Aikaterine," which is thought to mean "pure." The transition into English occurred through Latin and Old French, where the names were adapted and eventually anglicized.
Historically, the name Kit has been associated with several notable figures. In the 14th century, Kit was used as a nickname for Christopher, particularly in literary contexts.
The name gained further prominence in the 16th century with the publication of works like the King James Bible in 1611, which contributed to the popularity of biblical names in English-speaking regions. Additionally, Kit was used as a name for various saints and martyrs, particularly St.
Christopher, who is often depicted as a giant carrying the Christ child across a river. Culturally, the name Kit has resonated through various literary and artistic expressions.
It has been used in folklore and children's literature, often embodying themes of adventure and innocence. The diminutive form "Kitty" has also emerged, further enriching the name's cultural tapestry.
The enduring nature of Kit can be attributed to its simplicity and the positive associations tied to its historical and literary figures, making it a name that carries both charm and significance.
Famous people named Kit
In this section, you will find notable people named Kit. 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 Kit who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Kit 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.
Kit Harington is an actor best known for Game of Thrones, Pompeii, and How to Train Your Dragon 2.
Kit Carson is a frontiersman and explorer best known for his role in the westward expansion of the United States and his association with the American West.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Kit, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Kit. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Kit was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Kit has ranked as high as #1194 nationally, which occurred in 2023, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Utah, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Kit has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Kit 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 Kit was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Kit (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 20 | |
| TX | 12 | |
| TN | 10 | |
| MN | 8 | |
| IL | 7 | |
| NC | 6 | |
| WA | 6 | |
| OR | 6 | |
| GA | 6 | |
| ME | 5 | |
| UT | 5 | |
| VA | 5 | |
| NY | 5 | |
| OH | 5 | |
| CT | 5 |
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 Kit.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 182 |
| 2023 | 182 |
| 2022 | 137 |
| 2021 | 130 |
| 2020 | 114 |
| 2019 | 101 |
| 2018 | 87 |
| 2017 | 67 |
| 2016 | 59 |
| 2015 | 40 |
| 2014 | 21 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2012 | 16 |
| 2011 | 13 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2005 | 12 |
| 2004 | 16 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2001 | 22 |
| 2000 | 13 |
| 1999 | 9 |
| 1998 | 13 |
| 1997 | 11 |
| 1996 | 18 |
| 1995 | 17 |
| 1994 | 17 |
| 1993 | 19 |
| 1992 | 16 |
| 1991 | 20 |
| 1990 | 18 |
| 1989 | 12 |
| 1988 | 11 |
| 1987 | 31 |
| 1986 | 23 |
| 1985 | 25 |
| 1984 | 33 |
| 1983 | 29 |
| 1982 | 34 |
| 1981 | 35 |
| 1980 | 27 |
| 1979 | 27 |
| 1978 | 36 |
| 1977 | 27 |
| 1976 | 26 |
| 1975 | 29 |
| 1974 | 36 |
| 1973 | 26 |
| 1972 | 41 |
| 1971 | 46 |
| 1970 | 24 |
| 1969 | 36 |
| 1968 | 31 |
| 1967 | 38 |
| 1966 | 29 |
| 1965 | 42 |
| 1964 | 37 |
| 1963 | 42 |
| 1962 | 29 |
| 1961 | 47 |
| 1960 | 39 |
| 1959 | 59 |
| 1958 | 68 |
| 1957 | 77 |
| 1956 | 79 |
| 1955 | 86 |
| 1954 | 74 |
| 1953 | 74 |
| 1952 | 74 |
| 1951 | 68 |
| 1950 | 67 |
| 1949 | 42 |
| 1948 | 51 |
| 1947 | 52 |
| 1946 | 56 |
| 1945 | 28 |
| 1944 | 56 |
| 1943 | 44 |
| 1942 | 31 |
| 1941 | 36 |
| 1940 | 20 |
| 1939 | 13 |
| 1937 | 9 |
| 1936 | 6 |
| 1935 | 10 |
| 1934 | 6 |
| 1933 | 5 |
| 1931 | 6 |
| 1930 | 7 |
| 1929 | 7 |
| 1928 | 6 |
| 1927 | 10 |
| 1926 | 10 |
| 1925 | 5 |
| 1924 | 6 |
| 1922 | 11 |
| 1921 | 16 |
| 1920 | 8 |
| 1919 | 5 |
| 1918 | 6 |
| 1917 | 11 |
| 1916 | 7 |
| 1915 | 8 |
| 1914 | 6 |
| 1909 | 5 |
| 1892 | 5 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1889 | 5 |
| 1880 | 5 |