Given name & surname
Kimi
Kimi is a feminine given name. It is used in English, Finnish, and Malay.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
In English use, Kimi is a diminutive of Kimberley. An origin associated with Kimberley is Old English.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Kimi is a diminutive of Kimberley. In English usage, Kimi is a diminutive of Kimmy.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kimi through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,118
- 299 boys · 1,819 girls
- Most popular year
- 2014
- 79 babies
- 2025
- 32
- #5,488 for girls · #8,614 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −31%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 23 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,488 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 19.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 66 in 1965. It also appeared in 9 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,099 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kimi’s family of names
In English usage, Kimi is a diminutive of Kimberley. Kimi shares an earlier linguistic root with HAKIMI. Kimi has a related form in کيمي.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Kimi has relatives in 4 languages.
8 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 5
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Kimi
- Kimi RäikkönenFinnish racing driverborn 1979
- Kimi OnodaJapanese politicianborn 1982
- Kimi KatkarIndian actressborn 1965
- Kimi WakitashiroJapanese basketball player (born 1950)
- Kimi VermaAmerican actressborn 1977
- Kimi DjabatéBissau-Guinean musicianborn 1975
- Li JinmingChinese actressborn 1985
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kimi, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kemper
“one who is noble”
62% boys · 38% girls
Kiernan
“having dark features; the little dark one”
69% boys · 31% girls
Cashmere
73% boys · 27% girls
Kitt
“having great strength”
54% boys · 46% girls
Karman
“the lord of the manor”
35% boys · 65% girls
Coley
“a swarthy woman; having coal-black hair” · “having dark features; having coal-black hair”
46% boys · 54% girls
Collier
“a coal miner”
67% boys · 33% girls
Quin
“woman who is queenly” · “one who provides counsel; an intelligent man”
61% boys · 39% girls