This post contains affiliate links.
On the hunt for the best baby girl name that start with K? I’ve scoured through piles of lists, forums and baby name books to bring you the very prettiest and most meaningful baby girl names starting with K, and they’re all right here –
Elegant Girl Names That Start with K
🔍 Curious how popular a name is?
Check any name's popularity trend since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
Modern Girl Names That Start with K
Country Girl Names That Start with K
Earthy Girl Names That Start with K
Beachy Girl Names That Start with K
Elegant Girl Names That Start with K
Names that start with K have a crisp, confident sound, and this collection shows just how many directions that letter can take for a girl’s name. Here you’ll find 46 options ranging from timeless classics to bright, modern picks, with plenty in between for every taste. Take your time browsing — there’s a good chance one of these K names will feel like the perfect fit for your daughter.
- Origin: English (modern coinage)
- Pronunciation: KEN-drah · ˈkɛndrə
- Meaning: knowing, royal power, bold power
- Popularity: #687 and rising (#741 → #687, 2024)
- Origin: Ancient Greek (modern respelling of Chloe)
- Pronunciation: KLOH-ee · ˈkloʊi
- Meaning: young green shoot, new growth
- Popularity: #232 and falling (#216 → #232, 2024)
- Origin: Old English (place name)
- Pronunciation: KINGZ-lee · ˈkɪŋzli
- Meaning: king’s wood, clearing, or meadow
- Popularity: #1,673 and falling (#1,404 → #1,673, 2024)
- Origin: English (place name/surname)
- Pronunciation: KING-stun · ˈkɪŋstən
- Meaning: king’s town/manor
- Popularity: #14,370 and falling (#12,823 → #14,370, 2024)
Modern Girl Names that Start with K
Modern girl names starting with ‘K’ are fresh and trendy, perfect for the contemporary little lady.
- Origin: Irish (via Ciara) and/or Persian (via Cyrus); also used in Japan
- Pronunciation: KEER-uh · ˈkɪrə
- Meaning: Irish ‘ciar’ = dark/black (via Ciara); also linked to Persian Cyrus (disputed sense) — not ‘shining’ as commonly claimed
- Popularity: #455 and falling (#429 → #455, 2024)
- Origin: English (nickname, multiple source names); also a Ukrainian-derived name meaning ‘tomcat’
- Pronunciation: KIT · ˈkɪt
- Meaning: depends on the full name: ‘bearer of Christ’ (short for Christopher); popularly ‘pure’ when short for Katherine/Kathleen (though Katherine’s own etymology is actually uncertain)
- Popularity: #1,240 and rising (#1,572 → #1,240, 2024)
Country Girl Names That Start with K
Country girl names that start with ‘K’ capture the rustic, down-to-earth spirit of the countryside.
- Origin: Irish (surname, variant of Casey)
- Pronunciation: KAY-see · ˈkeɪsi
- Meaning: vigilant, brave (as a variant of Casey)
- Popularity: #1,789 and rising (#2,145 → #1,789, 2024)
- Origin: English
- Pronunciation: KAY-tee · ˈkeɪti
- Meaning: diminutive of Katherine/Kate; root meaning disputed
- Popularity: #582 and falling (#527 → #582, 2024)
- Origin: Welsh/English
- Pronunciation: KAY · ˈkeɪ
- Meaning: disputed; Welsh Arthurian name for boys, short form of Katherine for girls
- Popularity: #3,912 and falling (#3,345 → #3,912, 2024)
- Origin: Irish (Ó Cinnéidigh)
- Pronunciation: KEN-uh-dee · ˈkɛnədi
- Meaning: descendant of Cinnéide, a personal name traditionally glossed ‘ugly-headed’
- Popularity: #89 and falling (#72 → #89, 2024)
- Origin: English (surname-derived, base surname unspecified)
- Pronunciation: KENZ-lee · ˈkɛnzli
- Meaning: royal clearing
- Popularity: #741 and rising (#754 → #741, 2024)
- Origin: Scottish Gaelic (short form of Mackenzie)
- Pronunciation: KEN-zee · ˈkɛnzi
- Meaning: short form of Mackenzie, from Coinneach ‘the fair one’
- Popularity: #628 and falling (#567 → #628, 2024)
- Origin: Old English (place name/surname)
- Pronunciation: KINZ-lee · ˈkɪnzli
- Meaning: king’s/royal one’s meadow or clearing
- Popularity: #85 and falling (#68 → #85, 2024)
- Origin: Old Norse (English place name/surname)
- Pronunciation: KUR-bee · ˈkɜːrbi
- Meaning: village/settlement with a church
- Popularity: #2,539 and rising (#3,034 → #2,539, 2024)
- Origin: Australian English
- Pronunciation: KY-lee · ˈkaɪli
- Meaning: possibly ‘boomerang’ (Australian English), unrelated to Kyle
- Popularity: #189 and rising (#207 → #189, 2024)
Earthy Girl Names That Start with K
Earthy names that start with ‘K’ send vibes of the natural beauty and are all things nature-inspired.
- Origin: Finnish/Estonian (variant of Katariina/Catherine)
- Pronunciation: KY-ah · ˈkaɪə
- Meaning: variant of Catherine (via Finnish/Estonian Katariina), traditionally glossed ‘pure’
- Popularity: #180 and rising (#186 → #180, 2024)
- Origin: Hebrew
- Pronunciation: kuh-ZY-uh · kəˈzaɪə
- Meaning: cassia (a fragrant spice tree)
- Popularity: #865 and rising (#1,052 → #865, 2024)
- Origin: English (surname/place name)
- Pronunciation: NYTE-lee · ˈnaɪtli
- Meaning: knight’s clearing or knight’s meadow (Old English cniht ‘knight/young retainer’ + leah ‘woodland clearing, meadow’)
- Popularity: #12,793 and rising (#12,830 → #12,793, 2024)
Beachy Girl Names That Start with K
- Origin: Germanic/Scandinavian (also popularly linked to Hawaiian)
- Pronunciation: KY · ˈkaɪ
- Meaning: possibly from Latin Caius, or a Frisian pet form of Gerard/Cornelius/Nicholas (‘warrior’); popularly reinterpreted in the US as Hawaiian for ‘sea’
- Popularity: #1,133 and falling (#940 → #1,133, 2024)
- Origin: Modern coinage (Japanese/Western blend)
- Pronunciation: KY-ree · ˈkaɪri
- Meaning: keeper of the keys
- Popularity: #1,030 and falling (#987 → #1,030, 2024)
- Origin: uncertain (possibly Hawaiian-inspired coinage)
- Pronunciation: KAY-ah · ˈkeɪə
- Meaning: majestic sea
- Popularity: #11,717 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Uncertain — likely a phonetic variant of Cody rather than a documented Inuit/Native American word
- Pronunciation: KOH-dee · ˈkoʊdi
- Meaning: helpful
- Popularity: #1,192 and falling (#1,040 → #1,192, 2024)
Unique Girl Names That Start with K
Unique names beginning with ‘K’ stand out from the crowd, giving your daughter a name as special as she is.
- Origin: Arabic/Swahili
- Pronunciation: kuh-MAR-ee-uh · kəˈmæriə
- Meaning: moon, moonlight (commonly traced to Arabic qamar, reflected via Swahili)
- Popularity: #2,699 and falling (#2,365 → #2,699, 2024)
- Origin: Latin (via Polish/Slavic) / Arabic — unrelated homonyms
- Pronunciation: kah-MEE-lah · kəˈmiːlə
- Meaning: Polish/Slavic form of Camilla (a Roman religious-attendant title); separately, Arabic kamila means ‘perfect, complete’
- Popularity: #292 and falling (#258 → #292, 2024)
- Origin: Greek/Latin (uncertain)
- Pronunciation: kuh-REE-nuh · kəˈriːnə
- Meaning: either a form of Katherine, or from Latin Carina (‘keel’, also an Italian term of endearment)
- Popularity: #774 and falling (#761 → #774, 2024)
- Origin: Bantu (Kikuyu or Kamba, Kenya) — from the name of Mount Kenya
- Pronunciation: KEN-yuh · ˈkɛnjə
- Meaning: possibly ‘white mountain’ or simply ‘mountain’ (competing, unresolved theories)
- Popularity: #1,662 and falling (#1,571 → #1,662, 2024)
- Origin: English (word name)
- Pronunciation: KIN-dred · ˈkɪndrəd
- Meaning: family; related by blood or origin (from the ordinary English word)
- Popularity: #9,230 and rising (#10,756 → #9,230, 2024)
- Origin: Scottish (Gaelic, via the surname McKinley)
- Pronunciation: KIN-lee · ˈkɪnli
- Meaning: fair-haired warrior/hero (via McKinley, from Gaelic Fionnlagh)
- Popularity: #617 and falling (#597 → #617, 2024)
- Origin: Latin
- Pronunciation: KLAHR-uh · ˈklɑːrə
- Meaning: bright, clear, famous
- Popularity: #1,854 and falling (#1,828 → #1,854, 2024)
- Origin: modern coinage (feminine form of Kyle, ultimately Scottish/Irish Gaelic)
- Pronunciation: KY-lah · ˈkaɪlə
- Meaning: narrow strait, channel (inherited from Kyle)
- Popularity: #548 and rising (#565 → #548, 2024)
Vintage Girl Names That Start with K
Vintage names beginning with ‘K’ bring a nostalgic charm that’s reminiscent of simpler times and classic beauty.
- Origin: English
- Pronunciation: KAYT · ˈkeɪt
- Meaning: short form of Katherine (root meaning disputed)
- Popularity: #535 and falling (#478 → #535, 2024)
- Origin: Greek (via Catherine)
- Pronunciation: KATH-rin · ˈkæθrɪn
- Meaning: traditionally ‘pure’ (Greek), though the true root is disputed
- Popularity: #175 and falling (#170 → #175, 2024)
- Origin: English (pet form of Katherine/Katharine)
- Pronunciation: KIT-ee · ˈkɪti
- Meaning: pure
- Popularity: #11,078 as of 1988 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: English
- Pronunciation: KAT-ee · ˈkæti
- Meaning: variant of Katie/Katherine; root meaning disputed
- Popularity: #11,708 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
More Names We Love
- Origin: English (modern coinage)
- Pronunciation: KAY-lee · ˈkeɪli
- Meaning: modern blend of Kay and Lee
- Popularity: #220 and falling (#181 → #220, 2024)
- Origin: Old English (place name)
- Pronunciation: KIM-bur-lee · ˈkɪmbərli
- Meaning: royal-fortress meadow (from an Old English personal name + ‘clearing’)
- Popularity: #246 and falling (#222 → #246, 2024)
- Origin: English (place name)
- Pronunciation: KEN-dul · ˈkɛndəl
- Meaning: valley of the River Kent
- Popularity: #310 and rising (#317 → #310, 2024)
- Origin: English (modern coinage)
- Pronunciation: KAY-lee · ˈkeɪli
- Meaning: variant of Kaylee (Kay + Lee blend)
- Popularity: #731 and falling (#631 → #731, 2024)
- Origin: Hawaiian
- Pronunciation: kah-LAH-nee · kɑːˈlɑːni
- Meaning: the heavens, the sky
- Popularity: #899 and falling (#867 → #899, 2024)
- Origin: Arabic
- Pronunciation: kah-DEE-jah · kɑːˈdiːdʒə
- Meaning: premature child
- Popularity: #1,073 and rising (#1,191 → #1,073, 2024)
- Origin: English (surname/place name, variant of Kinsley)
- Pronunciation: KINZ-lee · ˈkɪnzli
- Meaning: king’s meadow or clearing
- Popularity: #1,494 and rising (#1,526 → #1,494, 2024)
- Origin: Scandinavian (Danish/Norwegian)
- Pronunciation: KUR-sten · ˈkɝːstən
- Meaning: follower of Christ (Scandinavian form of Christina)
- Popularity: #3,134 and rising (#4,153 → #3,134, 2024)
- Origin: Hebrew (Biblical: Abraham’s second wife)
- Pronunciation: kuh-TOOR-uh · kəˈtʊərə
- Meaning: incense, fragrance
- Popularity: #3,460 and rising (#3,547 → #3,460, 2024)
- Origin: Hebrew (variant of Keziah, Biblical)
- Pronunciation: kuh-SY-uh · kəˈsaɪə
- Meaning: cassia (a fragrant spice/tree)
- Popularity: #4,786 and rising (#5,799 → #4,786, 2024)
- Origin: Polish (form of Latin Claudia)
- Pronunciation: KLOW-dee-ah · ˈklaʊdiə
- Meaning: belonging to the ancient Roman clan/family Claudius
- Popularity: #12,790 and falling (#6,802 → #12,790, 2024)
- Origin: Meroitic/Nubian (royal title, via Greek Kandake)
- Pronunciation: KAN-diss · ˈkændɪs
- Meaning: royal title for a Kushite/Nubian queen or queen mother (Meroë); the word’s exact literal etymology is debated among scholars
- Popularity: #14,281 and falling (#6,532 → #14,281, 2024)
- Origin: Igbo
- Pronunciation: keh-LEH-chee · kɛˈlɛtʃi
- Meaning: thank God
- Popularity: #14,323 and rising (#14,374 → #14,323, 2024)
- Origin: Yoruba
- Pronunciation: keh-HEEN-day · kɛˈhiːndeɪ
- Meaning: the twin born second
- Popularity: #16,418 and rising (#16,459 → #16,418, 2024)
- Origin: Japanese
- Pronunciation: KAH-eh-deh (Japanese final ‘e’ is ‘eh’) · kɑːɛdeɪ
- Meaning: maple (tree)
- Popularity: #8,697 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Hawaiian
- Pronunciation: kah-hah-nah-NOO-ee · kəˌhɑːnəˈnuːi
- Meaning: strenuous, hard work; a big undertaking
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Finnish (form of Gertrude, ultimately Old High German)
- Pronunciation: KERT-too · ˈkɛrtuː
- Meaning: spear + strength
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Vietnamese
- Pronunciation: KAHN · ˈkɑːn
- Meaning: celebration, joy
- Popularity: #14,491 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Amharic
- Pronunciation: kee-DEEST · kiːˈdiːst
- Meaning: holy, saintly
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Hebrew
- Pronunciation: koh-khah-VAH · koʊxəˈvɑː
- Meaning: star (feminine form of kochav)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Hungarian
- Pronunciation: kris-TEE-nah · krɪsˈtiːnə
- Meaning: follower of Christ
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Hebrew
- Pronunciation: KAIR-en-HAP-uk · ˌkɛrənˈhæpʊk
- Meaning: horn of eye-paint (a cosmetic vessel)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Germanic (Old High German)
- Pronunciation: koo-nee-GOON-də · kuːnɪˈɡʊndə
- Meaning: kin/family joined with battle (a compound of elements meaning ‘clan’ and ‘war’)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Zulu
- Pronunciation: kahn-yee-SEE-leh · kʰaɲiˈsiːle
- Meaning: she who brings light
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Bulgarian (Slavic)
- Pronunciation: krah-see-MEE-rah · ˌkrɑːsɪˈmiːrə
- Meaning: A Slavic compound name joining roots for ‘beauty’ and ‘peace’
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Punjabi (Sanskrit-derived)
- Pronunciation: kuh-mul-PREET · kəməlˈpriːt
- Meaning: ‘love of the lotus,’ from ‘kamal’ (lotus) plus ‘preet’ (love, affection)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Polish (feminine of Kazimierz/Casimir)
- Pronunciation: kah-zee-MYEH-rah
- Meaning: proclaimer of peace
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Arabic
- Pronunciation: KOW-kahb · ˈkawkab
- Meaning: star (also used for ‘planet’)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: German (from Latin Clemens)
- Pronunciation: kleh-men-TEE-nuh
- Meaning: mild, merciful
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: German (from Latin Constantia/constans)
- Pronunciation: kawn-STAHN-tsə · kɔnˈstant͡sə
- Meaning: steadfast, constant
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Sanskrit
- Pronunciation: kow-MOO-dee · kaʊˈmuːdi
- Meaning: moonlight
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Setswana
- Pronunciation: kay-ah-BET-sweh · keɪˌɑːˈbɛtswɛ
- Meaning: I have been given (a blessing)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Japanese
- Pronunciation: KAH-hoh · ka.ho
- Meaning: no fixed meaning — varies by kanji (one common combination reads as flower + grain)
- Popularity: #14,298 as of 2021 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Japanese
- Pronunciation: koh-HAH-roo · ko̞ha̠ɾɯ̟ᵝ
- Meaning: small spring (mild, spring-like warmth)
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
- Origin: Greek
- Pronunciation: kee-ree-ah-KEE · ci.rçaˈci
- Meaning: belonging to the Lord; Sunday
- Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings
How These Names Are Trending
19 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 26 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
How These Names Are Trending
19 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 26 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
How These Names Are Trending
19 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 26 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
How These Names Are Trending
11 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 20 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
How These Names Are Trending
11 of these names rose in the U.S. Social Security rankings last year, and 21 are falling, per Social Security data through 2024.
💡 Bringing a name to life? Try our free Baby Name Art generator and create a personalized nursery print in under a minute.
📊 Curious how popular a name actually is? Look it up in our Baby Name Popularity Checker — pulls live SSA data to show ranking trends.
Wrapping Up
Choosing a name for your baby girl is a wonderful journey, and I hope this list of cute ‘K’ names for girls has inspired you. Whether you’re drawn to elegant classics, modern favorites, vintage treasures, country charmers, unique gems, or earthy beauties, there’s a perfect name out there just waiting for your little one.
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
✨ Love these names? Create free printable nursery art for any name →
