Kior
37% girls · 63% boys
About Kior
Possibly created by blending a love for K initials and an interest in designer baby names (Dior), Kior is a modern invention, first appearing in the US charts in 2017. Used for girls and boys, it might also take inspiration from the likes of Kiara, Kora, Korey, Kyaire, and Kyzer, or perhaps Lior or Malchior.
Kior for girls#3744 US
Alternatively, it may be a variation of Ka'oir, the name of Jamaican entrepreneur, Keyshia Ka'oir Davis, and her daughter with rapper Gucci Mane, Iceland Ka'oir.
Given to 46 girls and 64 boys in 2024, its meanings could include "golden" (from Dior), "maiden" (from Kora), "light" (from Lior), and "king of light" (from Melchior).
Kior for boys#2158 US
Concise and cool, Kior is a modern, unisex choice, that could be considered a short form of the Biblical Melchior (or its Croatian form, Melkior), or an invented name, based on designer name Dior, and the trend for K initials (as in Kairo, Kyaire, and Kyzir).
Used for girls since 2017, it wasn't until 2024 that Kior caught on for boys. Then, it more than tripled in usage, making it one of the fastest rising names of the year, given to 64 babies compared to just 20 the year before.
Pronounced KEE-or.
As of October 2026, Kior ranked #3744 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #2805 in 2022.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · girls | Births · girls | US rank · boys | Births · boys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | — | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #4,839 | 28 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #3,161 | 50 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #3,020 | 55 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #2,805 | 61 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #3,804 | 40 | #4,982 | 20 |
| 2024 | #3,419 | 46 | #2,243 | 64 |
| 2025 | #3,744 | 40 | #2,158 | 67 |