Kimberly Name Meaning

The name “Kimberly” is believed to have several meanings. One meaning is “from the city of Kimberley,” which is a reference to the South African town that the name originated from. Another meaning is “from the city of Berlin,” which is a reference to the German origin of the name “Berly.”

The name “Kimberly” is also believed to have the meaning “royal fortress” or “royal fortress meadow.” This is likely a reference to the fact that the town of Kimberley was named after a British Secretary of State for the Colonies, and it was also the site of a major diamond mine during the late 19th century.

Origins of the Name Kimberly

The name “Kimberly” has a rich history and origin that dates back to the 19th century. The name is believed to have originated from the combination of two names: “Kim” and “Berly.” The name “Kim” is of English origin and is a shortened version of the name “Kimberley,” which was derived from the name of a town in South Africa called Kimberley. The town was named after Lord Kimberley, who was a British Secretary of State for the Colonies in the late 19th century.

The name “Berly” is of German origin and is a variation of the name “Berlin,” which means “from the city of Berlin.” The name “Kimberly” is believed to have first been used as a given name in the United States in the late 19th century, and it quickly became popular among parents looking for unique and modern names for their daughters.

Popularity of the Name Kimberly

The name “Kimberly” was particularly popular in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, and it was among the top 100 most popular names for girls during this time period. However, the popularity of the name has declined in recent years, and it is now considered a more vintage or classic name.

Despite this decline in popularity, the name “Kimberly” still holds a special place in many people’s hearts. It is a reminder of a simpler time and brings to mind images of classic Hollywood actresses and iconic television characters.

Final Thoughts on the Name Kimberly

In conclusion, the name “Kimberly” has a rich history and origin that dates back to the 19th century. It is a combination of the names “Kim” and “Berly” and is believed to have several meanings, including “from the city of Kimberley” and “royal fortress meadow.” While the name was particularly popular in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, it has since declined in popularity, but it still holds a special place in many people’s hearts as a reminder of a simpler time.

Infographic of Kimberly name meaning, which is Kimberly is an English name meaning Cyneburg's meadow.
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Kimberly Name Popularity

How popular is the name Kimberly? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 0 0%
1911 0 0%
1912 0 0%
1913 0 0%
1914 0 0%
1915 0 0%
1916 0 0%
1917 0 0%
1918 0 0%
1919 0 0%
1920 0 0%
1921 0 0%
1922 0 0%
1923 0 0%
1924 0 0%
1925 0 0%
1926 0 0%
1927 0 0%
1928 0 0%
1929 0 0%
1930 0 0%
1931 0 0%
1932 0 0%
1933 0 0%
1934 0 0%
1935 0 0%
1936 0 0%
1937 0 0%
1938 0 0%
1939 0 0%
1940 0 0%
1941 0 0%
1942 0 0%
1943 0 0%
1944 0 0%
1945 1,601 5 0.0004%
1946 675 95 0.0064%
1947 539 198 0.0119%
1948 456 258 0.0162%
1949 415 315 0.0196%
1950 387 397 0.0247%
1951 372 431 0.0254%
1952 255 924 0.0529%
1953 208 1,410 0.0797%
1954 167 2,080 0.1138%
1955 111 3,861 0.2099%
1956 73 6,730 0.3563%
1957 42 9,447 0.4909%
1958 39 10,712 0.5668%
1959 33 12,781 0.6727%
1960 26 16,854 0.8895%
1961 22 17,354 0.9192%
1962 16 20,363 1.1092%
1963 11 21,230 1.1827%
1964 6 24,129 1.3708%
1965 4 28,831 1.763%
1966 2 32,232 2.0644%
1967 2 33,103 2.1813%
1968 3 31,910 2.1251%
1969 4 33,079 2.1472%
1970 3 34,136 2.145%
1971 4 30,695 2.0427%
1972 4 26,293 1.9305%
1973 4 23,532 1.8151%
1974 6 22,420 1.725%
1975 7 20,263 1.5769%
1976 7 18,967 1.4716%
1977 8 18,285 1.3565%
1978 13 16,879 1.2555%
1979 12 17,639 1.251%
1980 11 18,499 1.2652%
1981 13 16,689 1.1353%
1982 14 16,100 1.0774%
1983 15 15,371 1.0416%
1984 22 14,442 0.9708%
1985 19 14,912 0.9825%
1986 18 14,417 0.9551%
1987 21 13,030 0.8539%
1988 25 11,946 0.7666%
1989 28 11,035 0.6838%
1990 31 10,194 0.615%
1991 34 9,800 0.6012%
1992 35 8,896 0.5573%
1993 39 7,966 0.511%
1994 32 8,746 0.5699%
1995 37 7,745 0.5139%
1996 42 7,168 0.4787%
1997 49 6,182 0.418%
1998 54 5,718 0.382%
1999 51 5,444 0.3635%
2000 59 5,228 0.3422%
2001 61 4,881 0.3239%
2002 64 4,777 0.3188%
2003 64 4,815 0.3165%
2004 61 4,828 0.3168%
2005 63 4,737 0.3098%
2006 58 4,996 0.3191%
2007 54 5,090 0.3226%
2008 57 4,797 0.3104%
2009 67 4,195 0.2807%
2010 70 3,854 0.2674%
2011 67 3,794 0.2663%
2012 88 3,291 0.2309%
2013 101 3,082 0.2165%
2014 107 2,879 0.1976%
2015 108 2,819 0.1937%
2016 133 2,305 0.1599%
2017 162 1,798 0.1288%
2018 167 1,675 0.1219%
2019 186 1,514 0.1118%
2020 182 1,519 0.1193%
2021 218 1,237 0.1012%
2022 209 1,368 0.1037%

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Data via SSA.gov.


Names Like Kimberly

If you like Kimberly, you’ll love these other names like Kimberly.


What names are variants of Kimberly?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Kimberly.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Kim

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimba

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimber

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimberlee

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimberleigh

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimberley

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimberli

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimberlie

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimberlin

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimberlyn

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimblyn

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimm

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimmie

Cyneburg's field

English

Kimmy

Cyneburg's field

English

Kym

Cyneburg's field

English

Kymberlee

Cyneburg's field

English

Kymberleigh

Cyneburg's field

English

Kymberley

Cyneburg's field

English

Kymberlie

Cyneburg's field

English

Kymberly

Cyneburg's field

English

Kymbra

Cyneburg's field

English

Kymbrely

Cyneburg's field

English


What names sound like Kimberly?

If you like how Kimberly sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Kimberly.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Cambaria

The people

Welsh

Cambree

The people

Welsh

Cambria

The people

Welsh

Kambria

Latin


What names are similar to Kimberly?

Find a name that’s like Kimberly, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Amberly

Lists With Kimberly

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Kimberly.


4 Comments

  1. The names Kimberly and Kim were originally male names with German and English roots. It has lost popularity as a girl’s name, first, because of its associations with colonialism, conflict mining, apartheid, and the enslavement, and oppressive and cruel treatment of Black African miners in South Africa. The Kimberly mine is now defunct and is referred to in South Africa as
    “The Big Hole”. It’s an environmental mess.
    Secondly, it became associated with pornography after the pornographic video related rise in online celebrity of Kimberly Kardashian.
    Her porn video with her the boyfriend, rapper “Ray J” called “Kim Kardashian Superstar” is still a top seller and became the foundation of her personal fortune. It’s presently the best selling porn video of all time.
    That’s not something you want people to think
    of when they meet your child and it has killed the name for baby girls.

  2. Kimberly & Kim are great female names
    In High School my friends and I knew this girl named Kimberly, she went by
    Kim. She also had the cool nickname
    K.I.M. aka “Keep It Movin”

  3. Nothing i love her name


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