UK name, mostly girls
Kinsey
An English gender-neutral name from a surname meaning "king's victory".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 8 boys.
Kinsey is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Kinsey popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3218, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 8 births.
This profile covers 40 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2001 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 88% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 40 living people in the UK are called Kinsey. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kinsey ranked #3218 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 8 girls were registered as Kinsey.
- • Kinsey is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 40 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kinsey as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 83.3% of Kinsey registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3218
2023
Births in 2023
7
Latest year
Peak year
2022
8 births
Estimated living
40
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kinsey
In England and Wales birth records, Kinsey has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 16.7% of registrations are for boys and 83.3% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Kinsey registered for boys
- Ranked #3,687 in 2008
- 4 boys registered in 2008
- Peak: 2005 (4 births)
Kinsey registered for girls
- Ranked #3,218 in 2023
- 7 girls registered in 2023
- Peak: 2022 (8 births)
Meaning
What does Kinsey mean?
The name Kinsey has its origins in the English language, derived from the Old English surname "Cynesige," which means "king's victory." It is believed to have emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, between the 5th and 11th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kinsey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a census commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as a surname, with a few variations in spelling, such as "Kinsi" and "Kinsie."
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Kinsey was predominantly used as a surname, particularly in the northern regions of England. It wasn't until the 16th century that it began to gain popularity as a given name.
One notable historical figure with the name Kinsey was Sir John Kinsey (1604-1677), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He played a significant role in the Siege of Gloucester in 1643, successfully defending the city against the Royalist forces.
Another individual of note was Alfred Kinsey (1894-1956), an American biologist and professor of entomology and zoology. He is best known for his groundbreaking research on human sexual behavior, which led to the publication of the Kinsey Reports in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
In the literary world, Kinsey Millhone is a fictional character created by Sue Grafton, an American author of detective novels. The series, which spans from "A" Is for Alibi (1982) to "Y" Is for Yesterday (2017), follows the adventures of the female private investigator Kinsey Millhone.
Kinsey Wolanski (born 1996) is a contemporary figure who gained notoriety for her streaking incident during the 2019 UEFA Champions League final between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Her actions made her an internet sensation and sparked discussions about publicity stunts and public indecency.
Another notable individual with the name Kinsey was Kinsey Naoine (1963-2017), a Navajo painter and artist known for his vibrant and culturally significant works. His paintings often explored themes of Native American identity, tradition, and the natural world.
While the name Kinsey has its roots in England and was initially used as a surname, it has transcended its origins and become a respected given name in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kinsey over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kinsey in England and Wales, from 2001 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kinsey, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2023, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kinsey by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kinsey was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3184 | 21 | 3 |
| 2010s | #5214 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4782 | 12 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Kinsey
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kinsey: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kinsey in the UK right now?
In 2023, Kinsey was ranked #3218 for girls in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Kinsey most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 8 babies registered as Kinsey in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kinsey?
An English gender-neutral name from a surname meaning "king's victory".
How many people are called Kinsey in the UK?
A total of 40 babies have been registered as Kinsey across the 9 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.