Kim

The first name Kim is gender-neutral and is used in various regions such as the English, Nordic, and Asian areas. It has different origins and meanings. Kim can be seen as a short form of the English name Kimberley, which is predominantly used for females and carries the meaning "the one from the meadows of the royal fortress."

What does the name Kim mean?

Kim is a unisex name that has different backgrounds and meanings in various cultures. In the English-speaking world, it is often a short form of Kimberley, which means "the one from the meadows of the royal fortress." In its male form, Kim can also appear as a short form for Kimball, which comes from Old English or Old Welsh and means "the army leader," "the war lord," or "the brave king." In Scandinavia and Finland, Kim is a short form of Joakim, the Nordic variant of the biblical name Joachim, whose Hebrew origin means "God will raise up" or "God confirms." In Asian culture, particularly in Vietnam, Kim is often found as a girl's name and means "the gold," derived from the Vietnamese word kim (金) for "gold, metal." In Korea, however, Kim is a widely used family name. Internationally, Kim is common as both a male and female first name, with it being particularly popular as a female name in the English-speaking world, especially in North America, while it is more frequently found as a male name in Scandinavia. The name Kim is also quite popular in Germany, where it is given almost equally to both genders. Notable bearers of the name include actress Kim Basinger, model and actress Kim Kardashian, and singer Kim Frank.

Where does the name Kim come from?

The name Kim has its roots in various languages, including Old Hebrew and Chinese, with meanings such as "God will raise up" and "the gold." In Old English, the name is composed of the elements cyne- (royal), burh (fortress), and lēah (meadow, field, clearing). The meaning of Kimball comes from Old Welsh, where cyn (leader) and bel (war) or cyne (royal) and beald (strong, bold, brave) play a role. The name Joakim/Joachim has its roots in Old Hebrew, where jəhō (God, JHWH) and kwm (to raise up, to establish, to arise) are connected. The name is used in many languages, including American, Danish, German, English, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Vietnamese.

How do you pronounce Kim?

The name Kim is monosyllabic and has a compact structure. In German pronunciation, it is typically pronounced as "Kim" [kɪm], with the short vowel providing clear sound perception. This simple sound form gives the name a certain clarity and expressiveness. Kim feels modern and minimalist, conveying a straightforward, vibrant, and present feeling.

When is the name day of Kim?

As a variation of the biblical name Joachim, Kim is celebrated on March 20 and July 26.

Popularity

In Germany, Kim is among the sought-after first names. The name currently ranks 540th on the list of the most popular female baby names. Its highest ranking was in 1992 when it reached 6th place. In the last ten years, Kim has been given as a first name approximately 1,300 times, placing it 426th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 303rd.

Nicknames & pet names

Chymmne / Heldin / Heldin Kim / K-Dog / Ki / Kik / Kiki / Kiko / Kim Nim / Kim Possible / Kim-Bim / Kima / Kimba / Kimball / Kimbel / Kimberlims / Kimberly / Kimbert / Kimbi / Kimbim / Kimbl / Kimbo / Kimbobimbo / Kimbos / Kimbou / Kimbow / KimC / Kimchi / Kimebi / Kimefie / Kimi / Kimi-Wimmi / Kimibär / Kimibärchen / Kimigirl / Kimiho / Kimiko / Kimilein / Kimimaus / Kimimimi / Kimipo / Kimiuis / Kimke / Kimkom / Kimling / Kimme / Kimmel / Kimmes / Kimmi / Kimmie / Kimmilein / Kimmileinchen / Kimmy / Kimmän / Kimo / Kimono / Kimpanse / Kimsalabim / Kimsch / Kimschi / Kimsel / Kimski / Kimy / Kino / Kiwi / Klimbim / Kmy / Koko / Köm / Mini Kim / Super Kim / Turbo Kim

Similar first names

Famous people

• Kim "Dotcom" Schmitz (Schmitz Int.)
• Kim Ah Joong (Korean actress, model, and singer)
• Kim Andersson (Handball player (Swedish national player, THW Kiel))
• Kim Appleby (* 1961), British pop singer)
• Kim Basinger (Actress)
• Kim Behrens (German beach volleyball player)
• Kim Bendix Petersen alias "King Diamond" (Singer of the Danish metal band "Mercyful Fate")
• Kim Bodnia (Actor)
• Kim Bokamper (American football player)
• Kim Borg (Finnish opera singer)
• Kim Bui (German artistic gymnast)
• Kim Buss (* 1986), German badminton player)
• Kim Carnes (Singer)
• Kim Cattrall (Actress)
• Kim Chiu (Filipino singer and actress)
• Kim Clarke (* 1954), American jazz bassist and music educator)
• Kim Clijsters (Belgian professional tennis player)
• Kim Coates (Actor)
• Kim Collins (Athlete)
• Kim Debkowski (German singer)