♡
Why parents love King- Martin Luther King Jr. is the most important American of the 20th century.
- One syllable with the most commanding sound possible: KING.
- B.B. King and Stephen King extend it across blues and literature.
- The meaning is royalty itself — no interpretation needed.
- It's the boldest word-as-name choice.
◎
The vibe of King
royaltyMLKsovereignB.B. KingStephen Kingcrowncommandingone-syllable
◎
Origin & history of King
Old English cyning (king/ruler)
→ English King
→ given name
1
English roots
King comes from the Old English cyning, meaning king or ruler. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968) led the American civil rights movement, delivered the I Have a Dream speech, and won the Nobel Peace Prize. B.B. King (1925–2015) was the King of the Blues. Stephen King (born 1947) is the most successful horror/thriller author in history. King has entered the US charts as a given name.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Used as a surname for centuries; given-name usage growing in the 21st century.
3
Today
King remains a beloved choice, ranking #196 in the US. 37,080 babies have been named King since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
◆
How popular is King?
2017
peak year
Today, King ranks around #196 in the United States, with roughly 2,130 new arrivals per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 2017, 2,694 babies were given the name (ranked #147 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 2010s. King has been declining in recent years. In all, around 37,080 babies have been registered as King since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
2,694
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #147)
(ranked #147)
2,130
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
21,300
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
37,080
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
✦
Numerology of King5
Life path number
The Adventurer
Freedom, adventure and curiosity.
King's Life Path 1 is the leader's number — the king of leaders. People named King tend to be commanding, principled, and drawn to leading through moral authority rather than force.
♡
Leads through moral authority✦
I have a dream◈
King of his domain◎
One-syllable sovereignty♡
Crown-level presenceK2
I9
N5
G7
Sum: 23 → Life path 5
♡
Personality of King🌍
Free spirit
Adventure calls and they always answer.
⚡
Electric energy
Things happen around them — exciting, unexpected.
🦋
Adaptable
New situations are opportunities, never threats.
💬
Natural charmer
There's something magnetic about them.
◆
Famous people named KingClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
◎
If you like King, you may also love◎
Names that sound like KingIf you love King, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
Arling
See meaning →
Bolling
See meaning →
Chaning
See meaning →
Deking
See meaning →
Hing
See meaning →
Irwing
See meaning →
Jiaming
See meaning →
Jiaying
See meaning →
Jing
See meaning →
Junming
See meaning →
Khing
See meaning →
Lanning
See meaning →
Starling
See meaning →
Sterling
See meaning →
Tenzing
See meaning →
Ting
See meaning →
Tyking
See meaning →
Ying
See meaning →
Zing
See meaning →
♩
Names that combine with KingSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of King.
♡
Middle names for KingThe right middle name turns King into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for King? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for King →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
King is a beautiful choice.
Save it to your list, share it with your partner, or keep exploring.