King Name Meaning

Helen Doanna

By Helen Doanna

Lastest Updated July 9, 2024
Home » Baby Names » King Name Meaning

Fact: B.B. King, known as the “King of Blues,” is a legendary figure in the world of music, adding a musical flair to the name.

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A Deep Dive

King Overview

Meaning

Monarch, ruler

Gender

Boy

Origin

English

Etymology

Derived from the Old English word “cyning,” meaning “ruler” or “monarch.”

Pronunciation

/kɪŋ/

Popularity

King is especially favored in the USA and is gaining traction in other English-speaking countries. In 2023, King ranked #156 for boys in the USA.

Syllable

1 syllable

Length

4 letters

Numerology

5 (Visionary, Expansive, Adventurous)

Name Styles

Cool, Edgy, Fictional

Associated Traits

Regal, confident, dignified
A Deep Dive

King Variations in Different Cultures

Popular Variations

Kingsley, Kingston, Kin, Kingly, Kinsley

Common Nicknames

Kingy, Kingo, Kingie, Kinky

Diminutives

Ky, Kiko, K, KJ, Kian, Kage

Famous People

  • Martin Luther King Jr.
    (American Civil Rights Leader)
  • King Vidor
    (American Film Director)
  • Carole King
    (American Singer-Songwriter)
  • King C. Gillette
    (American Inventor)
  • King Camp
    (American Entrepreneur)

Pop Culture Icons and Works

  • "King Kong"
    (Film)
  • Stephen King
    (Author)
  • King George VI
    ("The King's Speech," Film)
  • Martin Luther King Jr.
    ("Selma," Film)
  • King Arthur
    ("King Arthur: Legend of the Sword," Film)
  • "The Lion King"
    (Film)
  • King T'Challa
    ("Black Panther," Film)

Places

  • King City Community
    (Ontario, Canada)
  • London King's Cross Railway Station
    (London, England)
  • King River
    (Victoria, Australia)
  • King Park
    (Perth, Australia)
  • King Island
    (Tasmania, Australia)

What Is the Meaning of King?

King means “ruler” or “sovereign,” indicating someone who holds supreme authority. People named King are often seen as strong leaders with a commanding presence and a sense of responsibility.

What Is the Origin of The Name King?

The name King has English origins, derived from the Old English word “cyning,” which means “ruler” or “leader.” It was initially used as a surname for individuals who served or represented a king, demonstrating their esteemed status in society.

King Name Popularity

Popularity Chart of the Name King in the U.S. over the Years

United States flagUnited States#1852021#2222022#2662023
Top 3 Rankings#1472017#1492018#1532016

Annual Statistics Breakdown for King

YearName RankingNumber of BirthsBirth Rate (%)
2023266
(-44 from 2022)
1276
(-372 from 2022)
0.06968
2022222
(-37 from 2021)
1648
(-403 from 2021)
0.08799
2021185
(-14 from 2020)
2051
(-210 from 2020)
0.10947
2020171
(-14 from 2019)
2261
(-209 from 2019)
0.12224
2019157
(-8 from 2018)
2470
(-141 from 2018)
0.12853
2018149
(-2 from 2017)
2611
(-81 from 2017)
0.13433
2017147
(+6 from 2016)
2692
(+24 from 2016)
0.13602
2016153
(+10 from 2015)
2668
(+101 from 2015)
0.13171
2015163
(+12 from 2014)
2567
(+129 from 2014)
0.12556
2014175
(+18 from 2013)
2438
(+330 from 2013)
0.11897
2013193
(+63 from 2012)
2108
(+674 from 2012)
0.10432
2012256
(+133 from 2011)
1434
(+705 from 2011)
0.07067
2011389
(+9 from 2010)
729
(+23 from 2010)
0.03589
2010398
(+63 from 2009)
706
(+115 from 2009)
0.03437
2009461
(+247 from 2008)
591
(+262 from 2008)
0.02787
2008708
(+12 from 2007)
329
(+8 from 2007)
0.01509
2007720
(+173 from 2006)
321
(+102 from 2006)
0.01449
2006893
(+211 from 2005)
219
(+70 from 2005)
0.00999
20051104
(+567 from 2004)
149
(+72 from 2004)
0.00700
20041671
(+67 from 2003)
77
(+7 from 2003)
0.00364
20031738
(+205 from 2002)
70
(+13 from 2002)
0.00333
20021943
(-166 from 2001)
57
(-6 from 2001)
0.00276
20011777
(-192 from 2000)
63
(-11 from 2000)
0.00305
20001585
(+478 from 1999)
74
(+28 from 1999)
0.00354
19992063
(-192 from 1998)
46
(-6 from 1998)
0.00226
19981871
(+120 from 1997)
52
(+7 from 1997)
0.00256
19971991
(+192 from 1996)
45
(+7 from 1996)
0.00225
19962183
(-128 from 1995)
38
(-2 from 1995)
0.00190
19952055
(-302 from 1994)
40
(-10 from 1994)
0.00199
19941753
(+180 from 1993)
50
(+8 from 1993)
0.00245
19931933
(+48 from 1992)
42
(+2 from 1992)
0.00203
19921981
(-30 from 1991)
40
(+1 from 1991)
0.00191
19911951
(-249 from 1990)
39
(-8 from 1990)
0.00184
19901702
(+657 from 1989)
47
(+19 from 1989)
0.00218
19892359
(-269 from 1988)
28
(-2 from 1988)
0.00134
19882090
(+469 from 1987)
30
(+9 from 1987)
0.00150
19872559
(-642 from 1986)
21
(-10 from 1986)
0.00108
19861917
(-348 from 1985)
31
(-10 from 1985)
0.00161
19851569
(+227 from 1984)
41
(+10 from 1984)
0.00213
19841796
(-49 from 1983)
31
(-1 from 1983)
0.00165
19831747
(-470 from 1982)
32
(-21 from 1982)
0.00172
19821277
(+243 from 1981)
53
(+13 from 1981)
0.00281
19811520
(+445 from 1980)
40
(+12 from 1980)
0.00215
19801965
(-501 from 1979)
28
(-13 from 1979)
0.00151
19791464
(+106 from 1978)
41
(+5 from 1978)
0.00229
19781570
(+251 from 1977)
36
(+8 from 1977)
0.00211
19771821
(+52 from 1976)
28
(+2 from 1976)
0.00164
19761873
(-216 from 1975)
26
(-4 from 1975)
0.00159
19751657
(+176 from 1974)
30
(+5 from 1974)
0.00185
19741833
(-15 from 1973)
25
(+1 from 1973)
0.00153
19731818
(-512 from 1972)
24
(-17 from 1972)
0.00149
19721306
(+160 from 1971)
41
(+7 from 1971)
0.00245
19711466
(+57 from 1970)
34
(+3 from 1970)
0.00187
19701523
(+47 from 1969)
31
(+4 from 1969)
0.00163
19691570
(-405 from 1968)
27
(-15 from 1968)
0.00148
19681165
(+66 from 1967)
42
(+5 from 1967)
0.00237
19671231
(+6 from 1966)
37
No change from 1966
0.00208
19661237
(-130 from 1965)
37
(-8 from 1965)
0.00204
19651107
(-238 from 1964)
45
(-32 from 1964)
0.00238
1964869
(+325 from 1963)
77
(+35 from 1963)
0.00380
19631194
(-199 from 1962)
42
(-17 from 1962)
0.00203
1962995
(+353 from 1961)
59
(+24 from 1961)
0.00281
19611348
(-277 from 1960)
35
(-17 from 1960)
0.00162
19601071
(-78 from 1959)
52
(-8 from 1959)
0.00240
1959993
(+56 from 1958)
60
(+7 from 1958)
0.00277
19581049
(-105 from 1957)
53
(-11 from 1957)
0.00246
1957944
(+26 from 1956)
64
(+5 from 1956)
0.00292
1956970
(-71 from 1955)
59
(-9 from 1955)
0.00275
1955899
(-73 from 1954)
68
(-9 from 1954)
0.00325
1954826
(+77 from 1953)
77
(+14 from 1953)
0.00372
1953903
(-174 from 1952)
63
(-30 from 1952)
0.00315
1952729
(+52 from 1951)
93
(+12 from 1951)
0.00471
1951781
(-59 from 1950)
81
(-9 from 1950)
0.00424
1950722
(+52 from 1949)
90
(+11 from 1949)
0.00495
1949774
(-41 from 1948)
79
(-5 from 1948)
0.00438
1948733
(+38 from 1947)
84
(+5 from 1947)
0.00471
1947771
(-25 from 1946)
79
(+1 from 1946)
0.00425
1946746
(-75 from 1945)
78
(-2 from 1945)
0.00473
1945671
(+16 from 1944)
80
(-2 from 1944)
0.00583
1944687
(+5 from 1943)
82
(-4 from 1943)
0.00590
1943692
(-77 from 1942)
86
(-19 from 1942)
0.00591
1942615
(+124 from 1941)
105
(+35 from 1941)
0.00746
1941739
(-42 from 1940)
70
(-5 from 1940)
0.00558
1940697
(-68 from 1939)
75
(-12 from 1939)
0.00632
1939629
(-7 from 1938)
87
(-4 from 1938)
0.00768
1938622
(+14 from 1937)
91
(+6 from 1937)
0.00801
1937636
(+74 from 1936)
85
(+14 from 1936)
0.00777
1936710
(+40 from 1935)
71
(+4 from 1935)
0.00667
1935750
(-120 from 1934)
67
(-24 from 1934)
0.00626
1934630
(+27 from 1933)
91
(+12 from 1933)
0.00857
1933657
(+112 from 1932)
79
(+12 from 1932)
0.00774
1932769
(-58 from 1931)
67
(-6 from 1931)
0.00624
1931711
(-66 from 1930)
73
(-17 from 1930)
0.00682
1930645
(-15 from 1929)
90
(-4 from 1929)
0.00797
1929630
(+73 from 1928)
94
(+13 from 1928)
0.00849
1928703
(-1 from 1927)
81
(-4 from 1927)
0.00710
1927702
(-117 from 1926)
85
(-28 from 1926)
0.00732
1926585
(+69 from 1925)
113
(+18 from 1925)
0.00987
1925654
(-42 from 1924)
95
(-14 from 1924)
0.00825
1924612
(+28 from 1923)
109
(+9 from 1923)
0.00932
1923640
(-35 from 1922)
100
(-14 from 1922)
0.00883
1922605
(+42 from 1921)
114
(+15 from 1921)
0.01013
1921647
(-43 from 1920)
99
(-9 from 1920)
0.00870
1920604
(-59 from 1919)
108
(-12 from 1919)
0.00981
1919545
(+106 from 1918)
120
(+31 from 1918)
0.01182
1918651
(-28 from 1917)
89
(-1 from 1917)
0.00849
1917623
(-58 from 1916)
90
(-12 from 1916)
0.00938
1916565
(-37 from 1915)
102
(-9 from 1915)
0.01105
1915528
(+55 from 1914)
111
(+37 from 1914)
0.01260
1914583
(-10 from 1913)
74
(+16 from 1913)
0.01083
1913573
(-108 from 1912)
58
(-14 from 1912)
0.01082
1912465
(+60 from 1911)
72
(+40 from 1911)
0.01595
1911525
(-149 from 1910)
32
(-15 from 1910)
0.01326
1910376
(+77 from 1909)
47
(+16 from 1909)
0.02254
1909453
(-70 from 1908)
31
(-6 from 1908)
0.01753
1908383
(-17 from 1907)
37
No change from 1907
0.02224
1907366
(+45 from 1906)
37
(+9 from 1906)
0.02333
1906411
(+41 from 1905)
28
(+4 from 1905)
0.01944
1905452
(-21 from 1904)
24
No change from 1904
0.01676
1904431
(+56 from 1903)
24
(+5 from 1903)
0.01733
1903487
(-120 from 1902)
19
(-10 from 1902)
0.01469
1902367
(+139 from 1901)
29
(+14 from 1901)
0.02185
1901506
(-121 from 1900)
15
(-18 from 1900)
0.01298
1900385
(-1 from 1899)
33
(+10 from 1899)
0.02035
1899384
(-7 from 1898)
23
(-4 from 1898)
0.01997
1898377
(-50 from 1897)
27
(-5 from 1897)
0.02044
1897327
(+73 from 1896)
32
(+8 from 1896)
0.02624
1896400
(-10 from 1895)
24
No change from 1895
0.01859
1895390
(+29 from 1894)
24
(+4 from 1894)
0.01895
1894419
(-48 from 1893)
20
(-3 from 1893)
0.01601
1893371
(+4 from 1892)
23
(-3 from 1892)
0.01900
1892375
(+122 from 1891)
26
(+13 from 1891)
0.01978
1891497
(-108 from 1890)
13
(-8 from 1890)
0.01190
1890389
(-1 from 1889)
21
No change from 1889
0.01754
1889388
(-35 from 1888)
21
(-6 from 1888)
0.01764
1888353
(+135 from 1887)
27
(+14 from 1887)
0.02078
1887488
(-131 from 1886)
13
(-10 from 1886)
0.01189
1886357
(-13 from 1885)
23
(-2 from 1885)
0.01932
1885344
(+8 from 1884)
25
No change from 1884
0.02156
1884352
(+7 from 1883)
25
(+3 from 1883)
0.02037
1883359
(-12 from 1882)
22
(-4 from 1882)
0.01956
1882347
(+28 from 1881)
26
(+6 from 1881)
0.02131
1881375
(-50 from 1880)
20
(-7 from 1880)
0.01847
1880325
First SSA data recorded
27
First SSA data recorded
0.02280

American States Popularity Rankings for King

(From the Most to Least Popular, Based on Number of Births )

Texas (TX)

Texas (TX) flagTexas (TX)#1762021#2352022#3002023

California (CA)

California (CA) flagCalifornia (CA)#2222021#2792022#3452023

Florida (FL)

Florida (FL) flagFlorida (FL)#1112021#1512022#1782023

Georgia (GA)

Georgia (GA) flagGeorgia (GA)#962021#902022#1472023

New York (NY)

New York (NY) flagNew York (NY)#1852021#2292022#2852023

North Carolina (NC)

North Carolina (NC) flagNorth Carolina (NC)#1372021#1472022#2042023

Michigan (MI)

Michigan (MI) flagMichigan (MI)#1562021#1842022#2062023

Ohio (OH)

Ohio (OH) flagOhio (OH)#1752021#2202022#2622023

South Carolina (SC)

South Carolina (SC) flagSouth Carolina (SC)#1272021#1132022#1872023

Illinois (IL)

Illinois (IL) flagIllinois (IL)#1892021#2402022#3292023

Pennsylvania (PA)

Pennsylvania (PA) flagPennsylvania (PA)#1812021#2362022#2932023

Alabama (AL)

Alabama (AL) flagAlabama (AL)#1072021#1552022#2182023

Virginia (VA)

Virginia (VA) flagVirginia (VA)#1612021#2022022#2922023

Louisiana (LA)

Louisiana (LA) flagLouisiana (LA)#1322021#1502022#1602023

Maryland (MD)

Maryland (MD) flagMaryland (MD)#1352021#1762022#1692023

Tennessee (TN)

Tennessee (TN) flagTennessee (TN)#1742021#2082022#3602023

Mississippi (MS)

Mississippi (MS) flagMississippi (MS)#992021#1132022#1622023

New Jersey (NJ)

New Jersey (NJ) flagNew Jersey (NJ)#1942021#2862022#2932023

Indiana (IN)

Indiana (IN) flagIndiana (IN)#2062021#3012022#2962023

Missouri (MO)

Missouri (MO) flagMissouri (MO)#2252021#2482022#3432023

Arizona (AZ)

Arizona (AZ) flagArizona (AZ)#2372021#3862022#2232023

Nevada (NV)

Nevada (NV) flagNevada (NV)#1492021#1492022#2432023

Wisconsin (WI)

Wisconsin (WI) flagWisconsin (WI)#3102021#3232022#2232023

Arkansas (AR)

Arkansas (AR) flagArkansas (AR)#1972021#2662022#1312023

Washington (WA)

Washington (WA) flagWashington (WA)#2972021#4672022#4542023

Oklahoma (OK)

Oklahoma (OK) flagOklahoma (OK)#2602021#2762022#4112023

Minnesota (MN)

Minnesota (MN) flagMinnesota (MN)#3112021#3232022#3942023

Connecticut (CT)

Connecticut (CT) flagConnecticut (CT)#1692021#2772022#2122023

Colorado (CO)

Colorado (CO) flagColorado (CO)#2952021#4162022#7002023

Massachusetts (MA)

Massachusetts (MA) flagMassachusetts (MA)#2622021#3102022#3472023

District of Columbia (DC)

District of Columbia (DC) flagDistrict of Columbia (DC)#562021#1152022#1142023

Kentucky (KY)

Kentucky (KY) flagKentucky (KY)#2572021#5142022#3542023

Kansas (KS)

Kansas (KS) flagKansas (KS)#4802021#4012022#3902023

Iowa (IA)

Iowa (IA) flagIowa (IA)#6182021#2582022#3972023

Oregon (OR)

Oregon (OR) flagOregon (OR)#3422021#4162022#6492023

Delaware (DE)

Delaware (DE) flagDelaware (DE)#1492021#1252022#1722023

New Mexico (NM)

New Mexico (NM) flagNew Mexico (NM)#3112020#2102021#1702022

Nebraska (NE)

Nebraska (NE) flagNebraska (NE)#4822020#3262021#4722023

Utah (UT)

Utah (UT) flagUtah (UT)#7282021#5412022#5912023

Hawaii (HI)

Hawaii (HI) flagHawaii (HI)#1812017#2732018#1202019

West Virginia (WV)

West Virginia (WV) flagWest Virginia (WV)#3712018#3582020#2862022

Rhode Island (RI)

Rhode Island (RI) flagRhode Island (RI)#2142018#1602019#2132020

South Dakota (SD)

South Dakota (SD) flagSouth Dakota (SD)#2732016#1882022

Alaska (AK)

Alaska (AK) flagAlaska (AK)#2112016

Maine (ME)

Maine (ME) flagMaine (ME)#2492023

Popularity Rankings for King in other Countries and American Territories

(From the Most to Least Popular, Based on Rankings)

Popularity in Other American Territories

American Samoa flag American Samoa
Guam flag Guam
Northern Mariana Islands flag Northern Mariana Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands flag U.S. Virgin Islands

Other American Territories flagOther American Territories#792016#682017#222022

Popularity in Scotland

Scotland flagScotland#4721974#4401993

Popularity in Canada

Canada flagCanada#5072020#6322021#6552022

Popularity in Ireland

Ireland flagIreland#5182005#6292007#7152014

Popularity in England and Wales

England and Wales flagEngland and Wales#6282019#7192020#8712021

Popularity in Quebec, Canada

Quebec, Canada flagQuebec, Canada#10002017#9602020#9802021

Source: Social Security Administration (SSA) and Other National Sources

Is King a Name for Boys or Girls?

While King can be used for either gender, it is predominantly given to boys, aligning with its historical association with male rulers.

Variants, Nicknames, Diminutives, and Ideal Middle Names for King

King in Famous People Names, Pop Culture, and Places

  • Martin Luther King Jr. (Civil Rights Leader, 1929–1968): An American civil rights leader who championed nonviolent activism and delivered the iconic "I Have a Dream" speech.
  • King Vidor (Director, 1894–1982): An influential American film director who directed classics such as "The Big Parade" and "War and Peace."
  • Carole King (Singer-Songwriter, born 1942): An American singer-songwriter whose album "Tapestry" became one of the best-selling albums of all time.
  • King C. Gillette (Inventor, 1855–1932): An American businessman and inventor of the safety razor, revolutionizing personal grooming.
  • King Camp (Entrepreneur, 1863–1918): An American entrepreneur who founded the King Camp Company, a pioneer in the camping equipment industry.
  • King Kelly (Baseball Player, 1857–1894): An American Major League Baseball player famous for his exceptional hitting and base running skills.
  • King Curtis (Musician, 1934–1971): An American saxophonist and bandleader influential in both rock and soul music.
  • King Sunny Ade (Musician, born 1946): A Nigerian musician who is one of the most prominent pioneers of modern world music.
  • "King Kong" (1933 Film): A giant ape taken from Skull Island who wreaks havoc in New York City.
  • Stephen King (Author): Prolific writer known for his horror, supernatural fiction, and fantasy novels.
  • King George VI ("The King's Speech," 2010 Film): The British monarch who worked to overcome his stutter with the help of a speech therapist.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. ("Selma," 2014 Film): The civil rights leader who led the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches for voting rights.
  • King Arthur ("King Arthur: Legend of the Sword," 2017 Film): The legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories, led the defense of Britain against Saxon invaders.
  • "The Lion King" (1994 Film): An animated film about a young lion prince named Simba who must reclaim his kingdom.
  • King T'Challa ("Black Panther," 2018 Film): The superhero and ruler of the African nation of Wakanda.
  • King City (Ontario, Canada): A rural township in the Greater Toronto Area, characterized by its scenic countryside and agricultural lands.
  • King's Cross (London, England): A major railway station and redevelopment area in Central London, famous for its connections to the Harry Potter series.
  • King River (Victoria, Australia): A river that flows through the Alpine National Park, popular for its wine-growing region.
  • King Park (Perth, Australia): One of the largest inner-city parks in the world, offering panoramic views of Perth and the Swan River.
  • King Island (Tasmania, Australia): Known for its dairy farming, pristine beaches, and shipwreck history.
  • King's Canyon (California, USA): Part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, this national park is home to giant sequoias and deep valleys.
  • King Abdullah Economic City (Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia): A new city development along the Red Sea coast, focusing on business and tourism.
  • King's Highway (Jordan): An ancient trade route dating back to biblical times, stretching from Amman to Aqaba.

Similar Names to King

Sibling Names for King

Parents Who Like the Name King Also Like

I think King is a fantastic name choice. It’s modern yet has deep roots. Like, share, and let me know what other names you want to explore!

Helen Doanna

Helen Doanna

Editor in Chief, Educational Specialist, and Senior Content Creator

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Child Development Specialist, Child-care Coordinator, Family Support Specialist, Content Writer, Communications Specialist, Educational Consultant, STEAM Teacher

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1. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

  • Program: Bachelor’s degree in Faculty of Literature and Journalism
  • Focus: In-depth knowledge of Literature, knowledge and skills to perceive, create literature or work in related fields; Basic knowledge of communications.

2. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

  • Program: Bachelor’s degree in Education Faculty
  • Focus: Core knowledge of social sciences and humanities – the root for the development of progressive values of education, Multicultural communication in education, Contemporary education in the context of globalization, Learning in the digital technology era, Basic issues of STEAM education, Classroom Management, Special education.

3. Oregon State University, Oregan, US

  • Program: Bachelor’s degree in Faculty of Human Development and Family Sciences – Child Development
  • Focus: Different stages of development, from infancy to adulthood; Develop a strong foundation for a career in early childhood programs or classrooms; Learn strategies for supporting young children’s development in early childhood settings.
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Helen is an experienced educational specialist and content creator, known for her innovative approach to children’s learning. With a background in literature and child development, she composes engaging educational content for SimpleKids.net. Her work emphasizes creativity, engagement, and simplicity, aiming to make learning enjoyable and accessible for children and their families.

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