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Kym
How to Pronounce Kym
Pronounced KIM /ˈkɪm/High
Meaning: Kym is a stylized respelling of Kim, the short form of Kimberly, an Old English place name meaning roughly 'royal forest clearing' or 'Cyneburga's field.' The 'y' gives the one-beat nickname a mod, mid-century flair while keeping its meaning.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Kym is a respelling of Kim, short for Kimberly, an Old English place name. As Kim and Kimberly surged in the postwar years, the 'y' spelling offered a trim, fashionable alternative, and Kym reached its high near 1959 at close to a hundred girls a year.
A woman named Kym at that peak is in her sixties today. The variant stayed a small share of the Kim family and faded with it after the sixties, reading as a mod mid-century spelling; Kim and Kimberly are the standard forms that carry its meaning.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Kym mean?
Kym is a respelling of Kim, short for Kimberly, an Old English place name; it shares that meaning.
How do you pronounce Kym?
It's said KIM /ˈkɪm/ — one syllable.
Is Kym a boy or girl name?
Kym is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Kym?
Kym was a rare stylized variant that peaked in the late fifties and has been uncommon since; it hasn't revived.