King
Meaningking · English
- US rank
- #405
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #147 in 2017
786 babies were named King in the US in 2025. It has dropped 234 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1929–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about King you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous King
King Vidor
American film director, film producer, and screenwriter (1894-1982)
Choose King and your child shares a first name with King Vidor, an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter. A ready-made answer when someone asks “King, like who?” King Vidor's Wikipedia article is available in 45 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about King Vidor on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Cathrine Curtis Corporation / First National Pictures, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 2,173 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named King, 786 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your King would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKing has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Kings, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 2017, when it reached #147.
- Then vs nowKing is 12× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 26,525 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 2,173.
- TrendKing has slipped 234 places over the last five years and now sits at #405. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedKing is most popular in Georgia, where it ranks #214, followed by South Carolina (#233) and Maryland (#257). It's in the top 1,000 in 32 states.
- MeaningIn English, King means “king”. Our records link it to American and English roots.
About the name King
King is a boy name of American and English origin meaning “king”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with K and ending in “-ing”. US birth records list King for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2017, when it ranked #147 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #405, with 786 babies.
Origin:American namesEnglish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 4.5 | 222,222 girls |
| 1960s | 0.3 | 3,846,154 girls |
| 2010s | 1.4 | 689,655 girls |
| 2020s | 1.5 | 666,667 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 208 | 4,804 boys |
| 1890s | 203 | 4,917 boys |
| 1900s | 202 | 4,961 boys |
| 1910s | 133 | 7,518 boys |
| 1920s | 91 | 11,033 boys |
| 1930s | 76 | 13,205 boys |
| 1940s | 56 | 17,819 boys |
| 1950s | 35 | 28,209 boys |
| 1960s | 23 | 42,626 boys |
| 1970s | 19 | 52,356 boys |
| 1980s | 18 | 54,885 boys |
| 1990s | 23 | 44,307 boys |
| 2000s | 97 | 10,322 boys |
| 2010s | 1,091 | 916 boys |
| 2020s | 872 | 1,147 boys |
More American boy names
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: Maverick · independent, unbranded
- Unisex name: Kai · sea
- Unisex name: Jace · healer
- Boy name: Jaxon · son of Jack
- Boy name: Milo · possibly gracious
- Boy name: Bryson · son of Brice
- Boy name: Louis · famous warrior
Questions about the name King
What does the name King mean?
King means “king” in English.
What is the origin of the name King?
King has American, English roots in our records. Other American names include Henry, Maverick, Kai.
Is King a boy or girl name?
King is a boy name.
How popular is the name King?
King ranked #405 for US boys in 2025, given to 786 babies. Its best year was 2017 (#147).