Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1954

Kimball

Meaning chief Gender Unisex · 7% girls Rank 2025 #11,405

From Old Welsh Cynbel, from cyn (“chief”) + bel (“war”).

Rank 2025
#11,405
among boys · ↓5,061 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
6
named Kimball
How common
1 in 284,679
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1954
66 babies
All-time total
2,148
#3,294 all-time among boys
First recorded
1914
in Social Security records

Kimball popularity over time

2,148 babies have been named Kimball since 1914, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.020.030.0418801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – 46 46 5 – #2,645
1920s – 76 76 8 +65% #2,178
1930s – 36 36 4 -53% #2,461
1940s – 185 185 19 +414% #1,365
1950s 66 469 535 54 +189% #911
1960s 24 304 328 33 -39% #1,199
1970s 17 147 164 16 -50% #2,124
1980s – 122 122 12 -26% #2,557
1990s 5 151 156 16 +28% #3,536
2000s 23 246 269 27 +72% #2,991
2010s 5 171 176 18 -35% #4,453
2020s (to 2025) – 55 55 9 -48% #6,344

The story of Kimball

Kimball is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #11,405 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1914, 2,148 American babies have been named Kimball, about 93% boys and 7% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1954, when 66 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kimball stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Kimball?

The median living Kimball is about 51 years old; half are between 23 and 68. An estimated 1,700 people named Kimball are alive in the United States today.

median 51 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Kimball year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 6 #11,405
2024 – – 14 #6,344
2023 – – 7 #10,294
2022 – – 12 #7,053
2021 – – 8 #9,307
2020 – – 8 #9,178
2019 – – 17 #5,462
2018 – – 15 #5,929
2017 – – 11 #7,344
2016 – – 16 #5,678
2015 – – 12 #6,899
2014 5 #17,948 21 #4,629
2013 – – 21 #4,549
2012 – – 17 #5,391
2011 – – 19 #4,917
2010 – – 22 #4,453
2009 7 #14,508 23 #4,367
2008 – – 26 #3,993
2007 – – 27 #3,849
2006 – – 22 #4,309
2005 – – 23 #3,998
2004 – – 34 #2,991
2003 – – 20 #4,207
2002 5 #16,858 26 #3,411
2001 5 #16,706 27 #3,280
2000 6 #14,110 18 #4,307
1995 – – 16 #3,975
1990 – – 7 #6,839
1985 – – 20 #2,557
1980 – – 14 #3,183
1975 – – 15 #2,703
1970 – – 15 #2,451
1965 – – 35 #1,307
1960 9 #4,610 43 #1,199
1955 5 #6,285 55 #1,020
1950 – – 30 #1,329
1945 – – 20 #1,515
1940 – – 11 #2,249
1935 – – 10 #2,461
1930 – – 5 #4,294
1925 – – 6 #3,973
1920 – – 14 #2,285
1915 – – 7 #3,237
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Kimball, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Kimball?

The median living Kimball is about 51 years old. Half of all living Kimballs are between 23 and 68 years old.

How many people named Kimball are alive today?

An estimated 1,700 people named Kimball are alive in the United States, based on 2,148 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Kimball mean?

From Old Welsh Cynbel, from cyn (“chief”) + bel (“war”).

How popular is the name Kimball in 2025?

Kimball ranked #11,405 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kimball?

2,148 babies have been named Kimball in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kimball most popular?

Kimball peaked in 1954, when 66 newborns received the name.

Is Kimball a boy or girl name?

Kimball is used for both: about 7% of babies named Kimball have been girls and 93% boys.

Is the name Kimball rising or falling?

Kimball is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Names like Kimball

Names that sound and feel close to Kimball: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Kimball with similar names → More names starting with K →