Kimberley
Kimberley: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkɪmbəli/ · /ˈkɪmbɚli/
Meaning and origin of Kimberley
Root meaning: “royal”
- A male given name transferred from the surname or place name (site of a battle in the Boer Wars).
- A female given name transferred from the surname, variant of Kimberly, popular in the 1960s and the 1970s.
Etymology
English place name "wood or clearing of Kyneburga (a seventh century female saint)", from Old English cyne- (“royal”) + burh (“fortress”) + lēah (“leigh, clearing”).
How popular is Kimberley?
Since 1880, 38,043 girls and 235 boys in the U.S. have been named Kimberley (99% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #166 in 1967. Its highest rank for boys was #1515 in 1954. In 2025, 21 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Kimberley
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Surname girl names
Sibling name ideas for Kimberley
Sister and brother names that share Kimberley's Surname roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Kimberley FAQ
What does the name Kimberley mean?
Kimberley traces back to a root meaning "royal". A male given name transferred from the surname or place name (site of a battle in the Boer Wars). A female given name transferred from the surname, variant of Kimberly, popular in the 1960s and the 1970s. English place name "wood or clearing of Kyneburga (a seventh century female saint)", from Old English cyne- (“royal”) + burh (“fortress”) + lēah (“leigh, clearing”).
What is the origin of the name Kimberley?
Kimberley is listed as a name of Surname (transferred from a surname) origin.
How popular is the name Kimberley?
Since 1880, 38,043 girls and 235 boys in the U.S. have been named Kimberley (99% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #166 in 1967. Its highest rank for boys was #1515 in 1954. In 2025, 21 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Kimberley a boy or girl name?
Kimberley is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 38,043 girls and 235 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.