Baby Girl Names That Begin With K

Popular, Classic, and Unusual Female Name Choices

Feb 3, 2008

A Cute Little Girl, Kahanaboy, Morguefile.com

Kaylee? Karina? Kai? If you're looking for a baby girl name that begins with the letter K, here are some popular and unusual choices.

When it comes to baby names in the Unites States, the letter K is hot. From Kaylee to Kennedy, K is the first letter of some of the most stylish name choices. Along with C, K is filling the role that J played in the 1970s and 1980s, when names like Jennifer and Jessica were all the rage.

Looking for a popular, unusual, or classic name that begins with the letter K? With the help of the Social Security Baby Name Index, here are some great choices.

Popular & Trendy Baby Girl Names That Start With K

Kayla & Kaylee. Kayla is currently the most popular K baby girl name in the United States-- #26 in 2006. Kaylee isn't too far behind at #42, and if you count the many alternate spellings such as Kayleigh and Kailey, it's probably more popular than Kayla. The names roughly originate from a Gaelic name that means "slender and fair." Kayla exploded onto the scene in the 1980s, followed quickly by Kaylee.
Kaitlyn/ Katelyn. Along with Kayla, Kaitlyn rose out of nowhere in the 1980s and has been trendy ever since. Kaitlyn was #41 in 2006, while Katelyn was #61-- and like Kaylee, this name has endless spelling variations. Kaitlyn originates from the same source as the more classic Katherine, and means "pure."
Kimberly. This 1970s superstar name is going strong at #58, and it seems likely that we'll have plenty of Kims around for some time. Kimberly originates from an Old English place name.
Katherine, Katie, & Kate. These classic names are among the most popular in the United States. Katherine weighed in at #36 in 2006, and its diminutives Katie and Kate ranked highly as stand-alone names as well. Like Kaitlyn, Katherine means "pure."
Kylie & Kylee. Parents looking for an alternative to Kaylee have gone the Kylie route, but now that name has become trendy too. In 2006, Kylie was at #66, and Kylee was at #146. Kyla's also becoming a favorite at #204, and some parents are going for the masculine Kyle.
Kennedy & Kendall. The last-name-turned-first-name trend is all the rage, and these Gaelic names are solid examples of this trend. Kennedy was #115 in 2006, and Kendall was #148. If you like the sound of these names and want something a little less trendy, try Kendra.
Kiara. At #185, Kiara's not as popular as names like Kaylee, but it's also a name that rose out of nowhere to become a stylish choice. Kiara comes from a Gaelic name that means "black."
Kelsey. Kelsey's an interesting study in name trends. It was a top 20 name in the late 1980s and 1990-- perhaps seen as an alternative to the 1970s star Kelly-- and then started falling pretty quickly. Kelsey comes from a Gaelic name that means "victorious ship."

Classic Baby Girl Names That Start With K

Kristina & Kristen/Kristin. Along with Christina and Christine, these Christian names climb up and down the name charts, but they never completely fall from favor. The Scandinavian Kirsten is a classic choice as well.
Karen. Unlike other popular Baby Boomer names, like Linda and Barbara, Karen still sounds fresh, and in fact is still fairly popular at #173. Karen is from a Scandinavian name that means "pure" and has origins similar to Katherine. For a more modern twist, try Karina. Kara, a 1970s favorite, is falling from favor.
Karla. The female form of Karl is always a perennial favorite. Similar choices include Karolina and Karlissa.

Unusual Baby Girl Names That Start With K

Kai. This name (which rhymes with "shy" and "fly") is slowly moving up the charts and may eventually become trendy, but in the meantime it's a chic alternative to more popular K choices. Like the Baby Boomer name Kay, Kai comes from a Latin word that means "happy."
Kaliyah. This Arabic name comes from Kalila, a name that means "beloved."
Keisha. Pronounced KEY-sha, this name was a popular African American choice in the 1970s but has fallen from favor. Keisha is an Arabic name that means "alive and well."
Katrina. Sadly, this pretty Scandinavian version of Katherine seems doomed to obscurity, as who wants to name their child after one of the worst disasters in American history? Katarina is a less stormy alternative.