Kimberley is a feminine given name of English origin. It is derived from the Middle English word "cymbel", which means "bells". The name Kimberley is also associated with the South African diamond mining town of Kimberley, founded in 1871 and named after the original diamond mine owner's daughter, Evelyn de Beer, whose nickname was "Kimberley".
The name Kimberley gained popularity in the late 19th century after the discovery of diamonds in the region. It was initially used for girls born into families involved in the mining industry but eventually became a popular choice among parents across England and beyond.
Today, Kimberley is still widely recognized as a feminine given name and can be found in various spellings such as Kimberly, Kimball, and Kimble. Despite its association with diamonds and wealth, the meaning of Kimberley remains deeply rooted in its original linguistic significance: "bells".
The name Kimberely has seen a varied history of popularity over the decades in the United States, as evidenced by the birth statistics provided.
In the early years, from 1952 to 1974, there was a steady increase in the number of babies named Kimberley each year. The peak of this period occurred in 1965 with 123 births, indicating that Kimberley was quite popular during this time.
However, starting from 1975, there was a significant decline in the number of babies named Kimberley each year. This trend continued throughout the next two decades, reaching its lowest point in 1992 with only 12 births. This suggests that the name Kimberley began to lose popularity during this period.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a slight increase in the number of babies named Kimberley, but it remained relatively low compared to previous decades. The most recent data from 2005 shows that there were only 6 births with the name Kimberley, indicating that the name is now quite rare.
In total, over the years for which we have data, there have been approximately 2300 babies named Kimberley in the United States. While it was once a popular name, its popularity has waned over time and it is now much less common.