Girl Names That Start With K
These girl names that start with K come straight from US birth records: 4,566 different girl names starting with K were given to at least five babies in a single year. The list below starts with the 100 used most often, then splits them into names popular right now, rising names, rare finds and short or long picks.
K names went through a clear change. The older set is led by Kathleen and Kathryn, built on the same soft root. Today's list favors Kennedy and Khloe, with bright endings in -ey and -ee.
The rising group is a lesson in spelling. Kinsley and Kinslee sound the same, and several close cousins differ by a letter or two, so expect to spell it out often.
There are 4,566 K names in the records. For a classic with built in nicknames, Katherine still appears in the current top ten and shortens easily to Kate.
- Girl names starting with K
- 4,566
- Most used ever
- Karen 985,655 babies
- Most popular in 2017
- Kennedy #58 overall
- Common endings
- -ie, -ey, -yn
Top 100 girl names that start with K
Ranked by how many babies have been given each name since 1880. "Peak decade" is when the name was used most; "Trend" compares the ten years to 2017 with the ten years before.
| # | Name | Babies given the name | Peak decade | Rank in 2017 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karen | 985,655 | 1950s | #556 | Falling |
| 2 | Kimberly | 835,149 | 1960s | #164 | Steady |
| 3 | Kathleen | 711,605 | 1950s | #870 | Falling |
| 4 | Katherine | 635,010 | 1980s | #105 | Falling |
| 5 | Kelly | 471,024 | 1970s | #595 | Falling |
| 6 | Kathryn | 451,229 | 1950s | #424 | Falling |
| 7 | Kayla | 336,512 | 1990s | #138 | Falling |
| 8 | Kathy | 333,534 | 1950s | #1,865 | Falling |
| 9 | Katie | 236,162 | 1980s | #408 | Falling |
| 10 | Kristen | 217,598 | 1980s | #1,125 | Falling |
| 11 | Kim | 179,492 | 1960s | #3,367 | Steady |
| 12 | Kristin | 178,972 | 1980s | #2,648 | Falling |
| 13 | Kaitlyn | 162,235 | 1990s | #345 | Falling |
| 14 | Kelsey | 146,244 | 1990s | #399 | Falling |
| 15 | Kristina | 135,415 | 1980s | #969 | Falling |
| 16 | Katelyn | 130,865 | 1990s | #415 | Falling |
| 17 | Kaylee | 124,350 | 2000s | #84 | Steady |
| 18 | Kylie | 107,229 | 2000s | #114 | Steady |
| 19 | Katrina | 100,464 | 1980s | #1,227 | Falling |
| 20 | Kara | 98,671 | 1980s | #515 | Steady |
| 21 | Kay | 98,249 | 1940s | #3,120 | Steady |
| 22 | Kendra | 94,720 | 1980s | #431 | Steady |
| 23 | Karla | 88,274 | 1960s | #556 | Falling |
| 24 | Kristine | 83,908 | 1960s | #2,516 | Falling |
| 25 | Kate | 79,820 | 2000s | #275 | Steady |
| 26 | Kristi | 76,375 | 1970s | #5,014 | Falling |
| 27 | Kelli | 74,675 | 1970s | #4,547 | Falling |
| 28 | Krystal | 74,191 | 1980s | #1,200 | Falling |
| 29 | Krista | 73,286 | 1980s | #2,128 | Falling |
| 30 | Kristy | 70,271 | 1970s | #3,320 | Falling |
| 31 | Kennedy | 67,161 | 2010s | #58 | Rising |
| 32 | Kari | 58,680 | 1970s | #1,636 | Falling |
| 33 | Kendall | 58,026 | 2000s | #225 | Steady |
| 34 | Karina | 57,967 | 1990s | #546 | Falling |
| 35 | Kaitlin | 57,014 | 1990s | #2,648 | Falling |
| 36 | Kirsten | 52,676 | 1990s | #1,889 | Falling |
| 37 | Kellie | 50,558 | 1970s | #4,192 | Falling |
| 38 | Kerry | 48,534 | 1970s | #4,547 | Falling |
| 39 | Kiara | 47,782 | 2000s | #354 | Falling |
| 40 | Kylee | 46,544 | 2000s | #362 | Steady |
| 41 | Kelley | 45,933 | 1960s | #5,622 | Falling |
| 42 | Katharine | 40,899 | 1980s | #2,474 | Falling |
| 43 | Kyla | 38,854 | 2000s | #388 | Steady |
| 44 | Kristie | 38,289 | 1970s | #5,789 | Falling |
| 45 | Kimberley | 37,850 | 1960s | #5,156 | Falling |
| 46 | Kerri | 36,902 | 1970s | #4,355 | Falling |
| 47 | Khloe | 36,733 | 2010s | #137 | Rising |
| 48 | Kyra | 34,792 | 2000s | #590 | Falling |
| 49 | Kira | 34,519 | 2000s | #377 | Steady |
| 50 | Kasey | 32,149 | 1990s | #1,139 | Falling |
| 51 | Keri | 31,940 | 1970s | #4,119 | Falling |
| 52 | Kassandra | 31,819 | 1990s | #895 | Falling |
| 53 | Kayleigh | 29,907 | 2000s | #397 | Steady |
| 54 | Katelynn | 29,749 | 2000s | #1,266 | Falling |
| 55 | Keira | 28,661 | 2000s | #331 | Rising |
| 56 | Karin | 28,402 | 1960s | #4,547 | Falling |
| 57 | Kailey | 25,045 | 2000s | #656 | Steady |
| 58 | Kenya | 24,083 | 1970s | #952 | Steady |
| 59 | Kiana | 23,908 | 1990s | #937 | Falling |
| 60 | Kali | 23,352 | 2010s | #299 | Rising |
| 61 | Kinsley | 22,375 | 2010s | #59 | Rising |
| 62 | Keisha | 21,871 | 1970s | #3,976 | Falling |
| 63 | Katy | 20,252 | 1980s | #1,814 | Steady |
| 64 | Kaylie | 20,121 | 2000s | #719 | Steady |
| 65 | Kamryn | 19,858 | 2000s | #403 | Steady |
| 66 | Kiera | 19,738 | 2000s | #766 | Steady |
| 67 | Karissa | 19,412 | 1990s | #1,591 | Falling |
| 68 | Kelsie | 18,660 | 1990s | #1,316 | Falling |
| 69 | Kiley | 18,461 | 2000s | #1,274 | Steady |
| 70 | Kassidy | 18,315 | 2000s | #511 | Steady |
| 71 | Katlyn | 18,289 | 1990s | #6,244 | Falling |
| 72 | Kyleigh | 17,900 | 2000s | #572 | Rising |
| 73 | Kaylin | 17,696 | 2000s | #932 | Steady |
| 74 | Kimberlee | 17,454 | 1960s | #4,119 | Falling |
| 75 | Kenzie | 16,189 | 2010s | #369 | Rising |
| 76 | Kaitlynn | 15,837 | 2000s | #1,520 | Falling |
| 77 | Kathrine | 15,628 | 1950s | #5,789 | Falling |
| 78 | Kaleigh | 15,405 | 2000s | #1,331 | Falling |
| 79 | Kierra | 15,235 | 1990s | #2,060 | Falling |
| 80 | Kathie | 15,071 | 1950s | #7,787 | Falling |
| 81 | Kinley | 14,867 | 2010s | #320 | Rising |
| 82 | Katheryn | 14,838 | 1990s | #3,458 | Steady |
| 83 | Kaydence | 14,795 | 2010s | #493 | Rising |
| 84 | Kiersten | 14,382 | 2000s | #1,964 | Falling |
| 85 | Karyn | 14,093 | 1960s | #5,467 | Falling |
| 86 | Kaelyn | 14,086 | 2000s | #816 | Steady |
| 87 | Kaila | 13,635 | 1990s | #1,613 | Falling |
| 88 | Kris | 13,490 | 1960s | #7,390 | Steady |
| 89 | Kourtney | 13,394 | 1990s | #1,721 | Steady |
| 90 | Kaye | 13,102 | 1940s | #11,533 | Steady |
| 91 | Kaley | 13,006 | 1990s | #1,346 | Falling |
| 92 | Krystle | 12,938 | 1980s | not given | Falling |
| 93 | Kailyn | 12,756 | 2000s | #901 | Steady |
| 94 | Keely | 12,101 | 2000s | #2,311 | Falling |
| 95 | Karlee | 12,025 | 2000s | #823 | Steady |
| 96 | Kori | 11,974 | 1990s | #682 | Rising |
| 97 | Kacie | 11,953 | 1990s | #1,840 | Falling |
| 98 | Kristal | 11,930 | 1980s | #4,355 | Falling |
| 99 | Kailee | 11,669 | 2000s | #943 | Steady |
| 100 | Kitty | 11,620 | 1950s | #8,717 | Steady |
Popular girl names starting with K right now
The most used K names for girls in 2017, with their national rank among all girl names.
- Kennedy #58
- Kinsley #59
- Kaylee #84
- Katherine #105
- Kylie #114
- Khloe #137
- Kayla #138
- Kimberly #164
- Kendall #225
- Kate #275
- Kamila #293
- Kali #299
- Kinley #320
- Keira #331
- Kaia #332
- Kaitlyn #345
- Kiara #354
- Kylee #362
- Kenzie #369
- Kira #377
- Kyla #388
- Kayleigh #397
- Kelsey #399
- Kamryn #403
- Katie #408
- Katelyn #415
- Kathryn #424
- Kendra #431
- Kennedi #441
- Kensley #480
Rising girl names with K
Names used far more in the last ten years than in the ten years before.
- Khaleesi
- Khloe
- Karter
- Kinsley
- Kinslee
- Kynlee
- Kinley
- Kensley
- Kinlee
- Kensington
- Kenley
- Kamila
- Kimber
- Kairi
- Kaidence
- Kaylani
- Kora
- Kamilah
- Kailani
- Katalina
Unique and rare girl names that start with K
Real names that are still being given today but stay uncommon, so a child is unlikely to share it with a classmate.
- Kynlee
- Kairi
- Kailani
- Katalina
- Kalani
- Kailynn
- Kinslee
- Kamari
- Kaylani
- Kaidence
- Keily
- Kamiyah
- Karter
- Kaleah
- Khaleesi
- Kamora
- Kensington
- Kamya
- Kloe
- Kinlee
- Kalea
- Kyrie
- Kamiya
- Keziah
- Kenzi
- Khadija
- Kinleigh
- Kenleigh
- Kinzley
- Karolina
Classic and vintage K names
Names that peaked before the 1960s. Many are now rare enough to feel fresh again.
- Karen 1950s
- Kathleen 1950s
- Kathryn 1950s
- Kathy 1950s
- Kay 1940s
- Kathrine 1950s
- Kathie 1950s
- Kaye 1940s
- Kitty 1950s
- Kathi 1950s
- Karol 1950s
- Karon 1950s
- Kathryne 1910s
- Karolyn 1940s
- Kattie 1920s
- Kathlyn 1950s
Short girl names that start with K
Four letters or fewer: easy to spell, easy to call across a playground.
- Kim
- Kara
- Kay
- Kate
- Kari
- Kyla
- Kyra
- Kira
- Keri
- Kali
- Katy
- Kris
- Kaye
- Kori
- Kaia
- Kaci
- Kyle
- Kami
- Kaya
- Kala
Long girl names with K
Eight letters or more, often with ready-made nicknames.
- Kimberly
- Kathleen
- Katherine
- Kristina
- Kristine
- Katharine
- Kimberley
- Kassandra
- Kayleigh
- Katelynn
- Kimberlee
- Kaitlynn
- Kathrine
- Katheryn
- Kaydence
- Kiersten
Filter every girl name that starts with K
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Looking for boy names too? See boy names that start with K, all names that start with K or the name finder for any letter and ending.
Questions people ask
What is the most popular girl name that starts with K?
Karen is the most used girl name starting with K in US records, given to 985,655 babies since 1880. In 2017 the most popular was Kennedy, ranked #58 among all girl names.
How many girl names start with K?
US birth records list 4,566 different girl names starting with K, counting every name given to at least five babies in a year.
What are some unique girl names that start with K?
Uncommon names still in use include Kynlee, Kairi, Kailani, Katalina, Kalani, Kailynn.
What are short girl names that start with K?
Short picks include Kim, Kara, Kay, Kate, Kari, Kyla, Kyra.
Source: US Social Security baby name records for every name given to at least 5 babies in a year, from 1880 to 2017. Names are grouped as girl names when most babies given the name were girls.