Kimberly
Girl name · #302 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Kimberly? In official American birth records, Kimberly has been tracked continuously since 1933, giving it 92 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,009 baby girls were named Kimberly, placing it at #302 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #108, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,784 girls born in 2025 was named Kimberly.
Babies named Kimberly per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 92-year story
Kimberly first appears in the Social Security records in 1933, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1970, when 34,130 girls were named Kimberly — good for #3 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 Kimberly against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kimberly in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kimberly is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kimberly is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kimberly is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Kimberly is most common in MS (1.5 per 1,000), MD (1.4 per 1,000), AL (1.2 per 1,000), FL (1.1 per 1,000), TX (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.8 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kimberly is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Kimberly
Statistically, parents drawn to Kimberly tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Beverly, Michelle, Kelly, Angela, and Holly.
BeverlyMichelleKellyAngelaHollyHeidiReginaAmy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kimberly | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,009 | #302 |
| 2024 | 1,286 | #247 |
| 2023 | 1,338 | #222 |
| 2022 | 1,392 | #211 |
| 2021 | 1,351 | #220 |
| 2020 | 1,560 | #185 |
| 2019 | 1,537 | #196 |
| 2018 | 1,705 | #173 |
| 2017 | 1,840 | #164 |
| 2016 | 2,332 | #133 |
| 2015 | 2,843 | #108 |
| 2014 | 2,902 | #107 |
| 2013 | 3,105 | #101 |
| 2012 | 3,317 | #88 |
| 2011 | 3,812 | #67 |
| 2010 | 3,871 | #69 |
| 2009 | 4,228 | #66 |
| 2008 | 4,814 | #57 |
| 2007 | 5,103 | #54 |
| 2006 | 5,011 | #58 |
| 2005 | 4,752 | #63 |
| 2004 | 4,847 | #61 |
| 2003 | 4,825 | #64 |
| 2002 | 4,790 | #63 |
| 2001 | 4,880 | #61 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kimberly?
In official American birth records, the name Kimberly first appeared in 1933 (over 92 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 92 years.
Is Kimberly a popular girl name?
Kimberly ranked #302 among girls in 2025 with 1,009 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #108.
When was the name Kimberly most popular?
Kimberly peaked in 1970, when 34,130 American girls received the name (ranked #3 that year). Since 1970 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kimberly?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,784 newborn American girls was named Kimberly. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.