Kimberly is a female given name of English origin. It is derived from the name 'Cymbeline', which was a spelling used by Shakespeare for the character King Cymbeline in his play "The Life and Death of King Cymbeline". The name means 'from the city of Cumbria' or 'dark vales'.
The name Kimberly gained popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century. It was among the top 10 names for girls from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, according to Social Security data. Today, it is still a popular choice for parents, ranking as one of the top 500 names for girls in the United States.
Kimberly is often associated with the spelling variations Kimberley and Kimball. Some famous people named Kimberly include actresses Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Kimberly Scott, and Olympic gold medalist Kim Rhode. However, it should be noted that these individuals are not necessarily representative of the typical traits or characteristics associated with the name.
Overall, Kimberly is a strong and distinctive name with a rich history and meaningful origins. It continues to be popular among parents seeking unique yet memorable names for their daughters.
The statistics provided give us a snapshot of the popularity of the name Kimberly in the United States from 1957 to 1980. During this period, there were a total of 77 births registered with the name Kimberly.
Interestingly, the name gained significant popularity between 1964 and 1972, with the highest number of births occurring in 1971, when 13 babies were named Kimberly. This decade saw a steady increase in the number of newborn girls being named Kimberly each year, starting from 5 births in 1964 and peaking at 8 births in both 1967 and 1969.
However, after reaching its peak popularity in the early 1970s, the name Kimberly's popularity began to decline. By 1980, there were only 6 births registered with this name.
While these statistics may not reflect the current trends in baby naming today, they do provide insight into how popular the name Kimberly was during a specific period in American history. It's fascinating to observe how fashion and taste can influence naming choices over time.