Girls Names Beginning With K

Kinsley

English

"king's meadow"

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.…

Kiara

English variation of Chiara, Italian, Ciara, Irish, or Aboriginal Australian, Korean

"light, clear; little dark one; cockatoo; first ray of sun"

Kiara can be considered a variation of both the Italian name Chiara and the Irish name Ciara. Chiara is the Italian form of Clara, meaning "bright" or "clear," while Ciara is the feminine form of…

Kate

English, diminutive of Katherine

"pure"

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,…

Kiana

Modern invented name

Kiana (or more appropriately, Quiana) is the original polyester name, coming into favor in the 1970s but then drifting downward for years before taking a surprise turn back up the charts, perhaps…

Katelyn

Spelling variation of Caitlin

"pure"

One of the most popular of the trendy Caitlin variations, Katelyn points directly to components Kate and Lyn --making it a bit more traditionally feminine.

Kiera

Irish

"little dark one"

Kiera entered the American popularity list in 1988, though it lags behind the alternate spelling Keira, largely due to the fame of actress Keira Knightley. The original Irish spelling is Ciara, the…

Kit

English diminutive of Katherine, Greek

"pure"

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…

Kaya

Scandinavian, English, Literature, Japanese

"pure; one who arranges rocks; perfume, incense; fruit, reward"

A multicultural name, that's currently on style and fits right in with Kaia, Maya, Raya, and Mia. Currently in the Top 500 in both the UK and The Netherlands, it has several different origins and…

Kathleen

Anglicized form of Irish Caitlin

"pure"

Kathleen is the early Irish import version that came between Katherine and Kaitlin, and which hasn't been used in so long it's almost beginning to sound fresh again. It was a surprise pick by one of…

Kristina

Scandinavian variation of Christina

"annointed, a Christian"

This streamlined form of a pretty and feminine classic may not be as popular as it once was, but it's never out of style. A royal name best used now in its full glory rather than as nicknames Kris or…

Kari

Norwegian diminutive of Katarina or variation of Carrie, English

"pure; free man"

Kari and all her many sisters, from Carrie to Carey to Kerry and onward, originated for the most part as short forms of either Catherine Katherine or one of the Charles feminizations such as Carol or…

Kenza

Arabic

"treasure"

Kenza may feel perfectly in step with modern names like McKenzie and Kinsey and Kendra, but there was an 8th century Moroccan queen named Kenza so the name has deep roots. Kenza is that rare name…

Khari

West African

"kingly"

Traditionally a West African boys' name, Khari is used quite often for girls in the U.S. as well, thanks to its similarity to the more familiar Carrie. Khari is one of the African names that easily…

Kinsey

English

"king's victory"

Kinsey enjoyed popularity blip thanks to similarity to Lindsay, and because of Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries heroine, Kinsey Millhone. Now, Kinsley has become more popular than Kinsey, perhaps…

Katana

Persian or Japanese

"honorable or sword"

Katana is a male name in Old Persian and a well-used word in Japanese, but as a girls' name is these days found more often as Kitana, the name of a princess in the video game Mortal Kombat II.

Kay

English, diminutive of Katherine, Greek

"pure"

Kay, a cigarette-smoking, nightclubbing name of the 1930's, could be ready for a comeback along with cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae. Kay has been out of sight since the mid-eighties, but was in the…

Kim

English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name

Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who…

Kayah

Kayah is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Native American traditions, particularly Hopi, it's associated with meanings like 'wise child' or 'elder sister.' The name also appears in…

Kerry

Irish

"dark, dark-haired"

Kerry is the name of one of the most beautiful and lush counties of Ireland was a seventies favorite. Related, updated versions might include Cerys and Keira.

Kestrel

English, bird name

A kestrel is a bird of prey. It has good potential as a strong girls' name, similar to Falcon for boys.