English Names that Start With K

  1. Kit
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Christopher
    • Meaning:

      "bearer of Christ"
    • Description:

      Actor Kit Harington, aka the dreamy Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, has given this nickname-name new style and appeal for boys. Actress Jodie Foster used it for her son.
  2. Kate
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Katherine
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      Kate, in the headlines via Catherine Middleton aka the Princess of Wales, has been as pervasive as Kathy was in the 1950s and 1960s, both as a nickname for Katherine and Kaitlyn and as a strong, classic stand-alone name.
  3. Kit
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Katherine
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      Kit is a crisp, old-time nickname with plenty of spirit and style. In the UK it's a rising star for boys, while in the US, it is trending upwards for girls too. Originally used as a diminutive of Katherine and Christopher, Kit could make a cool alternative to Katie, or an unexpected honor name for the aforementioned classics.
  4. Kinsley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "king's meadow"
    • Description:

      Light and glittery, but with plenty of spirit, Kinsley has risen quickly into the US Top 100. Balanced between preppy and cutesy, it feels like a fresh alternative to Kelly, Kaitlyn, or Kimberly.
  5. Kitty
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Katherine
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      This endearing nickname name is one Katherine pet form that predates all the Kathys and Katies, having been fairly common in the eighteenth century. With the current mini-craze for animal-related names, Kitty is sounding cute and cuddly again—she's already jumped back onto the U.K. list, at number 199.
  6. Katie
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Katherine
    • Meaning:

      "pure"
    • Description:

      Friendly mega-popular short form of Katherine that has definitively replaced Kathy, Katie is often given on its own. Going forward, though, Katie is more stylishly clipped itself to the grownup Kate.
  7. Kimberly
    • Origin:

      English surname and place name
    • Meaning:

      "Cyneburga's meadow"
    • Description:

      Kimberly's heyday was in the 1960s and 70s, when it ranked among the Top 10. While it hasn't been stylish for decades, it's evidenced more staying power than some former hot girl names, remaining among the Top 300 girl names in the US, where it's stood for 70 years.
  8. Kent
    • Origin:

      English surname and place-name
    • Meaning:

      "edge"
    • Description:

      Kent is a no-nonsense, brief, brisk one-syllable name, almost as curt as Kurt.
  9. Kendall
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "valley of the river Kent"
    • Description:

      Kendall, as used for a girl, was initially propelled by a soap opera character (Sarah Michelle Gellar as Kendall Hart in All My Children) and reality star and Kardashian sister Kendall Jenner.
  10. Kendra
    • Origin:

      Feminization of Kenneth or English
    • Meaning:

      "handsome or knowing"
    • Description:

      Kendra was once seen as a feminization of Kenneth -- but it's now firmly established as a standalone. American parents can't seem to make up their mind about it though: it was one of 2013's fastest-rising names, entering the Top 200 for the first time since 2000, but then it tumbled again.
  11. Keaton
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "shed town"
    • Description:

      Keaton is an engaging surname with warmth, energy and a sense of humor, identified with silent comedian Buster Keaton and contemporary actors Michael and Diane Keaton. Although rare as a first name, a young Keaton would fit right in with classmates Keenan and Kellen.
  12. King
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "monarch"
    • Description:

      King is a name that sends a mixed message. While some might think of it as more fitting for a canine, others see it as a strong name with offbeat style and a full court of rich associations, from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Elvis.

      King Vidor was an important early Hollywood director; King Camp Gillette invented the safety razor.

      If it's king names you're after that aren't King itself, see our list of Names with Royal Meanings or other lists and blogs on royal names.
  13. Kim
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Kimball
    • Description:

      Kim is forever feminized, despite memories of the Rudyard Kipling character.
  14. Kelsey
    • Origin:

      English surname
    • Meaning:

      "Cenel's island"
    • Description:

      Yesterday's hottie, today's mom name. It derives from several English place names and may mean "Cenel's island", from the Old English name Cenel "fierce".
  15. Kay
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Katherine
    • Description:

      Kay, a cigarette-smoking, nightclubbing name of the 1930's, could be ready for a comeback along with cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae.
  16. Kirby
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "church settlement"
    • Description:

      Unisex name around for several decades for boys and now ripe for girls.
  17. Kingston
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "king's town"
    • Description:

      Chosen for their first son by musical couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, this Jamaican place and elegant British surname also boasts the more regal yet user-friendly short form, King.
  18. Kingsley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "king's meadow"
    • Description:

      Kingsley is a sophisticated Harry Potter name that entered the US Top 1000 in 2013.
  19. Kimberly
    • Origin:

      English surname and place name
    • Meaning:

      "Cyneburga's meadow"
    • Description:

      Kimberly is a variation of the South African (and Australian) place name Kimberley, named after John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley. The name comes from a Norfolk earldom (first spelled Chineburlai) and references the meadow or woodland clearing of a medieval Lady called Cyneburga.
  20. Kipp
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "pointed hill"
    • Description:

      Full name that sounds more like a short form; more likely to be spelled Kip.