Kiki is a charming and unique given name, often perceived as playful yet elegant. It is derived from the French nickname 'Kikou', which itself comes from the full form of the given name Marie-Kimberly or similar names starting with Kim. The name Kiki has gained popularity in recent years due to its phonetic simplicity and appealing sound. It is typically used for girls but can also be given to boys, adding a touch of unisex versatility to its appeal. Some famous bearers of this name include the French singer Kiki Hairston and the Japanese actress Kiki Kirin. In popular culture, it has been notably featured in films like 'Kiki's Delivery Service', an animated film by Studio Ghibli that further popularized the name worldwide.
The name Kiki has seen significant fluctuations in popularity over the past century. While it was barely registered between 1920 and 1975 with only sporadic years reaching double digits, it began to gain traction in the late 70s, peaking in 1975 with 42 births. It continued to be moderately popular through the 80s and 90s, but really took off in the early 2000s, consistently maintaining over 10 births per year since 2002, with notable spikes in 2006 (17), 2008 (25), and 2020-2021 (17 and 18 respectively). Overall, Kiki has been the subject of 1084 births over the past century.