Fun Facts About the Name Kimberly
- Decades of popularity: Kimberly stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 57 consecutive years, from 1956 through 2012.
- More than 850 thousand babies named Kimberly: U.S. records list 850,656 babies given the name Kimberly from 1880 through 2025. Even 4,273 boys received the name Kimberly - about 1 boy for every 198 girls.
What Does the Name Kimberly Mean?
Kimberly is a variant spelling of Kimberley, an English name meaning "Cyneburg's wood" or "Cyneburg's clearing." It is a transferred use of the surname Kimberley, which comes from the English place name Kimberley, notably the village in Nottinghamshire. That place name is usually explained as the Old English personal name Cyneburg plus leah, meaning "wood," "clearing," or "meadow." Cyneburg is formed from cyne, "royal," and burg, "fortress," so the place name literally means "Cyneburg's wood/clearing." Modern interpretations sometimes reduce this to "royal fortress" or "chief," but those describe only part of the compound and are not the full literal sense.
Kimberly Name History & Origins
The place name Kimberley is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086; the Nottinghamshire village appears in a form such as Chineburch lege, representing Old English Cyneburg plus leah. From this place name came the English surname Kimberley, used for people who lived at or came from such a settlement. The surname spread to North America with English-speaking settlers. In the 19th century the surname began to be used as a given name, and in the 20th century it became established in the United States and other English-speaking countries. The spelling Kimberly is the common American form, while Kimberley is more usual in Britain and parts of the Commonwealth. The South African diamond town of Kimberley, named in the 1870s after Lord Kimberley, is a separate place-name use of the same spelling; it is not the source of the English surname. The given name has been used for both men and women, but it is now mainly feminine.
How Popular is the Name Kimberly?
Kimberly remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1956 to 2012. Its highest annual birth count was in 1970, and people born that year turn 56 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #303 | 1,009 | 0.0628% |
| 2024 | #246 | 1,285 | 0.0797% |
| 2023 | #222 | 1,336 | 0.0834% |
| 2022 | #210 | 1,392 | 0.0849% |
| 2021 | #221 | 1,350 | 0.0823% |
| 2020 | #186 | 1,560 | 0.0966% |
| 2019 | #196 | 1,536 | 0.0916% |
| 2018 | #173 | 1,705 | 0.1003% |
| 2017 | #164 | 1,840 | 0.1066% |
| 2016 | #133 | 2,332 | 0.1316% |
| 2015 | #108 | 2,843 | 0.1593% |
| 2014 | #107 | 2,902 | 0.1625% |
| 2013 | #101 | 3,104 | 0.1769% |
| 2012 | #88 | 3,316 | 0.1883% |
| 2011 | #67 | 3,812 | 0.2167% |
| 2010 | #69 | 3,871 | 0.2178% |
| 2009 | #66 | 4,228 | 0.2302% |
| 2008 | #57 | 4,814 | 0.2546% |
| 2007 | #54 | 5,102 | 0.2654% |
| 2006 | #58 | 5,010 | 0.2635% |
| 2005 | #63 | 4,752 | 0.2572% |
| 2004 | #61 | 4,846 | 0.2639% |
| 2003 | #64 | 4,825 | 0.2641% |
| 2002 | #63 | 4,790 | 0.2666% |
| 2001 | #61 | 4,880 | 0.2710% |
| 2000 | #58 | 5,244 | 0.2888% |
| 1999 | #51 | 5,457 | 0.3076% |
| 1998 | #54 | 5,721 | 0.3238% |
| 1997 | #49 | 6,182 | 0.3552% |
| 1996 | #41 | 7,175 | 0.4093% |
| 1995 | #37 | 7,745 | 0.4404% |
| 1994 | #32 | 8,747 | 0.4898% |
| 1993 | #39 | 7,965 | 0.4403% |
| 1992 | #35 | 8,895 | 0.4824% |
| 1991 | #34 | 9,799 | 0.5226% |
| 1990 | #31 | 10,191 | 0.5368% |
| 1989 | #28 | 11,037 | 0.5987% |
| 1988 | #25 | 11,949 | 0.6710% |
| 1987 | #23 | 13,030 | 0.7494% |
| 1986 | #18 | 14,418 | 0.8404% |
| 1985 | #19 | 14,913 | 0.8666% |
| 1984 | #22 | 14,446 | 0.8579% |
| 1983 | #15 | 15,370 | 0.9200% |
| 1982 | #14 | 16,101 | 0.9508% |
| 1981 | #13 | 16,689 | 1.0005% |
| 1980 | #11 | 18,500 | 1.1142% |
| 1979 | #12 | 17,637 | 1.0987% |
| 1978 | #13 | 16,878 | 1.1018% |
| 1977 | #8 | 18,285 | 1.1926% |
| 1976 | #7 | 18,962 | 1.2942% |
| 1975 | #7 | 20,258 | 1.3895% |
| 1974 | #6 | 22,427 | 1.5282% |
| 1973 | #4 | 23,531 | 1.6137% |
| 1972 | #4 | 26,281 | 1.7276% |
| 1971 | #4 | 30,706 | 1.8455% |
| 1970 | #3 | 34,133 | 1.9525% |
| 1969 | #4 | 33,076 | 1.9606% |
| 1968 | #3 | 31,907 | 1.9451% |
| 1967 | #2 | 33,096 | 2.0046% |
| 1966 | #2 | 32,231 | 1.9047% |
| 1965 | #4 | 28,837 | 1.6337% |
| 1964 | #6 | 24,131 | 1.2735% |
| 1963 | #11 | 21,225 | 1.1012% |
| 1962 | #16 | 20,362 | 1.0354% |
| 1961 | #22 | 17,356 | 0.8599% |
| 1960 | #26 | 16,851 | 0.8334% |
| 1959 | #33 | 12,791 | 0.6321% |
| 1958 | #39 | 10,710 | 0.5324% |
| 1957 | #42 | 9,453 | 0.4623% |
| 1956 | #74 | 6,730 | 0.3352% |
| 1955 | #111 | 3,862 | 0.1975% |
| 1954 | #168 | 2,087 | 0.1075% |
| 1953 | #209 | 1,428 | 0.0759% |
| 1952 | #254 | 966 | 0.0521% |
| 1951 | #366 | 486 | 0.0270% |
| 1950 | #382 | 445 | 0.0260% |
| 1949 | #415 | 362 | 0.0212% |
| 1948 | #450 | 315 | 0.0186% |
| 1947 | #522 | 255 | 0.0144% |
| 1946 | #709 | 130 | 0.0083% |
| 1945 | #1,634 | 26 | 0.0020% |
| 1944 | #1,889 | 21 | 0.0016% |
| 1943 | #2,113 | 18 | 0.0013% |
| 1942 | #1,685 | 25 | 0.0019% |
| 1941 | #1,631 | 24 | 0.0020% |
| 1940 | #2,363 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1939 | #2,668 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1938 | #2,830 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1937 | #4,042 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1936 | #4,540 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1935 | #3,590 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1934 | #4,065 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #3,594 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | #11,510 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #11,527 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #11,478 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #13,183 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #7,878 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #8,490 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #5,942 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #5,572 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #6,703 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #8,744 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #4,352 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2003 | #4,942 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2002 | #8,100 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #6,256 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #6,609 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #5,194 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #4,312 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1997 | #6,979 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #2,982 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1995 | #3,505 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1994 | #2,202 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 1993 | #2,669 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1992 | #2,236 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 1991 | #2,372 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1990 | #2,064 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1989 | #1,387 | 63 | 0.0031% |
| 1988 | #1,461 | 53 | 0.0028% |
| 1987 | #1,327 | 56 | 0.0030% |
| 1986 | #1,195 | 64 | 0.0035% |
| 1985 | #1,311 | 54 | 0.0029% |
| 1984 | #1,182 | 60 | 0.0033% |
| 1983 | #1,101 | 66 | 0.0037% |
| 1982 | #1,067 | 73 | 0.0040% |
| 1981 | #1,241 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 1980 | #995 | 83 | 0.0047% |
| 1979 | #1,126 | 64 | 0.0037% |
| 1978 | #1,023 | 73 | 0.0044% |
| 1977 | #951 | 81 | 0.0049% |
| 1976 | #1,077 | 61 | 0.0039% |
| 1975 | #909 | 82 | 0.0053% |
| 1974 | #828 | 95 | 0.0060% |
| 1973 | #806 | 96 | 0.0062% |
| 1972 | #844 | 91 | 0.0056% |
| 1971 | #798 | 102 | 0.0058% |
| 1970 | #777 | 113 | 0.0061% |
| 1969 | #725 | 116 | 0.0065% |
| 1968 | #714 | 111 | 0.0064% |
| 1967 | #690 | 116 | 0.0067% |
| 1966 | #688 | 116 | 0.0065% |
| 1965 | #678 | 121 | 0.0065% |
| 1964 | #767 | 98 | 0.0049% |
| 1963 | #805 | 89 | 0.0044% |
| 1962 | #847 | 80 | 0.0039% |
| 1961 | #733 | 111 | 0.0052% |
| 1960 | #781 | 96 | 0.0045% |
| 1959 | #731 | 110 | 0.0052% |
| 1958 | #652 | 140 | 0.0066% |
| 1957 | #616 | 156 | 0.0072% |
| 1956 | #600 | 161 | 0.0076% |
| 1955 | #553 | 177 | 0.0086% |
| 1954 | #615 | 144 | 0.0071% |
| 1953 | #641 | 124 | 0.0063% |
| 1952 | #735 | 92 | 0.0047% |
| 1951 | #714 | 95 | 0.0050% |
| 1950 | #1,153 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 1949 | #1,173 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 1948 | #1,366 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 1947 | #2,440 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1946 | #3,360 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #3,690 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1940 | #3,716 | 5 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Kimberly
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Kimberly Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Kimberly's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kimberly's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.