Kip
Primarily a boy's name of Old English origin with 8,465 recorded births. Also given to 154 girls.
Meaning & Origin
A diminutive of the male given name Kipling.
Kip is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old English origin, originally a topographic name for someone who lived on a pointed hill, from the Middle English kip. It has also long been used as a diminutive of Christopher, from the Greek meaning 'bearing Christ.' As a standalone name, it has a crisp, Anglo-Saxon bluntness.
Kip has the clean, one-syllable confidence of names like Kit, Cam, and Finn. It's the kind of name you'd find in a British adventure story — short, brisk, and suggesting someone who moves quickly and thinks on their feet. Simple and quietly distinctive.
EtymologyShow more
Though Kip dates back to 1935 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The Old English classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
Kip’s 8,465 recorded births provide enough of a footprint to establish it as a real, chosen name in American culture — not a typo or a one-off, but a deliberate selection by hundreds of families.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Kip climbed 3245 spots in the last 20 years — from #4701 to #1456.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 569 | #1546 | ▲ |
| 2010s | 527 | #2840 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 254 | #3786 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 454 | #2005 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 828 | #1088 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 1,350 | #725 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 2,640 | #495 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 1,441 | #630 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 376 | #1340 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 26 | #2770 | — |
The Story of Kip
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1965, Kip is a Gen X staple. Boys named Kip are most likely born between 1955 and 1975.
How rare is Kip?
Only about 1 in every 29,032 babies born in 2024 was named Kip — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1935, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1960s with 2,640 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Kip by the numbers
- Would fill 176 school buses
- Meeting one Kip per day would take 23.2 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(88 years, 1935–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 124 | #1456 |
| 2023 | 135 | #1380 |
| 2022 | 125 | #1451 |
| 2021 | 101 | #1649 |
| 2020 | 84 | #1794 |
| 2019 | 97 | #1666 |
| 2018 | 76 | #1947 |
| 2017 | 74 | #1946 |
| 2016 | 74 | #1965 |
| 2015 | 46 | #2664 |
| 2014 | 50 | #2499 |
| 2013 | 33 | #3302 |
| 2012 | 35 | #3212 |
| 2011 | 21 | #4589 |
| 2010 | 21 | #4612 |
| 2009 | 22 | #4518 |
| 2008 | 24 | #4206 |
| 2007 | 23 | #4304 |
| 2006 | 30 | #3485 |
| 2005 | 25 | #3777 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Kip as a Girl's Name
While overwhelmingly a boy's name, Kip has also been given to 154 girls in the U.S. since 1947.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kip a boy's or girl's name?
When was Kip most popular?
How popular is the name Kip?
Can Kip be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1935–2024