UK name, mostly girls
Kym
A feminine name of English origin, a modern variation of Kimberly.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kym is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Kym popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5742, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 16 births.
This profile covers 93 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 1996 to 2013. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 19% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 198 living people in the UK are called Kym. 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 2014 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kym ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 16 girls were registered as Kym.
- • Kym ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #384 in 2006.
- • About 198 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kym as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 85.3% of Kym registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5742
2013
Births in 2013
3
Latest year
Peak year
2001
16 births
Estimated living
198
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kym
In England and Wales birth records, Kym has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 14.7% of registrations are for boys and 85.3% 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.
Kym registered for boys
- Ranked #2,220 in 2001
- 5 boys registered in 2001
- Peak: 1998 (7 births)
Kym registered for girls
- Ranked #5,742 in 2013
- 3 girls registered in 2013
- Peak: 2001 (16 births)
Meaning
What does Kym mean?
The name Kym is a modern English variant of the ancient Greek name Kyma, meaning "wave" or "billow." This name originated in the coastal regions of Greece, where the ebb and flow of the tides played a significant role in daily life.
The earliest recorded use of the name Kyma can be traced back to the 5th century BC, where it appears in several ancient Greek texts and records. It was a popular name among families living near the Aegean Sea, reflecting their close connection to the ocean.
In the Christian tradition, the name Kyma is associated with the biblical figure St. Kyma, a 3rd-century martyr who was known for her unwavering faith and courage in the face of persecution. Her story is recounted in the "Acta Sanctorum," a collection of biographies of Christian saints.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Kym was Kym of Alexandria, a renowned philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 3rd century AD. She made significant contributions to the field of geometry and is credited with developing several geometric proofs.
In the Middle Ages, the name Kym appeared sporadically in various European regions, often taking on slightly different spellings such as Kim or Kym. One notable figure from this period was Kym the Scribe, a 12th-century calligrapher and illuminator who worked on several important manuscripts for the Church.
During the Renaissance, the name Kym gained popularity among artists and intellectuals. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Kym Fiore, an Italian painter and sculptor who lived from 1445 to 1520. Her masterpieces can still be found in various museums across Italy.
In the 19th century, the name Kym resurfaced in literature and literature circles. Kym Brontë, a lesser-known sister of the famous Brontë sisters, was a talented poet and writer who lived from 1815 to 1848. Her works, though not as widely recognized as those of her siblings, are still studied by scholars of English literature.
Another notable figure with the name Kym was Kym Nightingale, a British nurse and social reformer who lived from 1820 to 1910. She played a crucial role in improving the standards of healthcare and nursing practices in Victorian England, inspiring generations of healthcare professionals.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kym over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kym in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kym, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 16 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kym by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kym 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5725 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #2888 | 52 | 7 |
| 1990s | #2078 | 35 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kym is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kym. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Kym ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #384 in 2006.
Across the UK
Kym in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#480 in 2004
18 years of NRS records, 101 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#384 in 2006
2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kym
-
Kym Jackson
screenwriter
Australian screenwriter
1983-
-
Kym Marsh
actor; singer; musician; television presenter; stage actor
English actress and former singer
1976-
Related
Names similar to Kym
- 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
Kym: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kym in the UK right now?
In 2013, Kym was ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kym most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 16 babies registered as Kym in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kym?
A feminine name of English origin, a modern variation of Kimberly.
How many people are called Kym in the UK?
A total of 93 babies have been registered as Kym across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 101 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Kym most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kym ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #384 in 2006. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.