Kim
Girl name · #4185 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kim? In official American birth records, Kim has been tracked continuously since 1914, giving it 111 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 34 baby girls were named Kim, placing it at #4185 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2501, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 52,941 girls born in 2025 was named Kim.
Babies named Kim per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 111-year story
Kim first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 12,477 girls were named Kim — good for #34 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kim in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kim is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kim will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kim is most common
State-level data for Kim is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Kim
Statistically, parents drawn to Kim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kathy, Kay, Jo, Debra, and Cheryl.
KathyKayJoDebraCherylVickyTammyBeth
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | #4172 |
| 2024 | 28 | #4772 |
| 2023 | 38 | #3911 |
| 2022 | 40 | #3765 |
| 2021 | 39 | #3801 |
| 2020 | 39 | #3735 |
| 2019 | 54 | #3002 |
| 2018 | 36 | #4001 |
| 2017 | 47 | #3346 |
| 2016 | 53 | #3100 |
| 2015 | 72 | #2501 |
| 2014 | 69 | #2560 |
| 2013 | 62 | #2769 |
| 2012 | 92 | #2078 |
| 2011 | 50 | #3267 |
| 2010 | 52 | #3159 |
| 2009 | 48 | #3409 |
| 2008 | 64 | #2802 |
| 2007 | 104 | #1971 |
| 2006 | 85 | #2248 |
| 2005 | 73 | #2407 |
| 2004 | 91 | #2020 |
| 2003 | 83 | #2106 |
| 2002 | 111 | #1654 |
| 2001 | 100 | #1777 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kim?
In official American birth records, the name Kim first appeared in 1914 (over 111 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 111 years.
Is Kim a popular girl name?
Kim ranked #4185 among girls in 2025 with 34 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2501.
When was the name Kim most popular?
Kim peaked in 1960, when 12,477 American girls received the name (ranked #34 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 52,941 newborn American girls was named Kim. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.