Girl Names That Start With K
K gives a girl’s name a crisp, confident start. It’s the letter behind modern favorites like Kinsley, Kennedy and Kehlani, royal classics like Katherine, and a huge range of international names — Hawaiian, Japanese, Irish and Scandinavian — because K is common in so many alphabets.
We’ve rounded up more than 100 girl names that start with K, grouped by style and paired with real meanings. Many K names have C twins (Katherine/Catherine, Kara/Cara), so you might also like our girl names that start with C. Neighbor letters live in J and L, and our Hawaiian girl names list is full of beautiful K choices.
Popular girl names that start with K
K names with a strong presence in recent SSA data.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kinsley | King’s meadow | Old English |
| Kennedy | Helmeted head, or “ugly head” | Irish |
| Kylie | Boomerang (Noongar); also Irish “graceful” | Aboriginal Australian / Irish |
| Khloe | Young green shoot (variant of Chloe) | Greek |
| Kaylee | Modern blend of Kay and Lee | American |
| Kehlani | Sea and sky | Hawaiian |
| Kamila | Perfect, complete | Arabic / Slavic |
| Kaia | Pure (Scandinavian form of Katherine); sea (Hawaiian Kai) | Scandinavian / Hawaiian |
| Katherine | Pure (associated with Greek katharos) | Greek |
| Kiara | Bright, clear (form of Chiara) | Italian / Irish |
| Kali | The black one; Hindu goddess of time | Sanskrit |
| Kendall | Valley of the River Kent | Old English |
| Kimberly | Cyneburg’s meadow | Old English |
| Kataleya | From the Cattleya orchid | Modern / botanical |
| Kayla | Pure (from Katherine), or crown (Hebrew) | English / Hebrew |
| Kora | Maiden | Greek |
| Keira | Little dark one | Irish |
| Kenzie | Son of Coinneach, “fair one” | Scottish |
| Kelsey | Possibly “Cenel’s island” or “Ceol’s island” | Old English |
| Kailani | Sea and sky | Hawaiian |
Classic and vintage K names
Traditional K names with a timeless feel. Kathleen and Kay were huge in the 1940s; Katherine never really leaves. See classic girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kathleen | Pure (Irish form of Katherine) | Irish |
| Kay | Rejoice; short for Katherine | English |
| Kate | Pure (short for Katherine) | English |
| Kitty | Pure (nickname for Katherine) | English |
| Karen | Pure (Danish form of Katherine) | Danish |
| Katrina | Pure | German / Dutch |
| Kathryn | Pure | English |
| Kristen | Follower of Christ | Scandinavian |
| Karla | Free woman | German |
| Katharine | Pure | English |
| Kara | Beloved (Italian); pure | Italian / Danish |
| Kristina | Follower of Christ | Scandinavian / Slavic |
| Kathy | Pure | English |
| Katie | Pure | English |
| Katharina | Pure | German |
Modern and unique girl names starting with K
Distinctive K names that feel current without being trendy. Explore unique girl names and cool girl names for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kestrel | The small falcon | English |
| Koa | Brave, bold; the koa tree | Hawaiian |
| Kinley | King’s meadow (variant of Kinsley) | Old English |
| Keziah | Cassia tree (Job 42:14) | Hebrew |
| Kit | Pure (short for Katherine) | English |
| Kenna | Born of fire; beautiful | Scottish / Irish |
| Kyla | Narrow strait (feminine of Kyle) | Scottish |
| Kiki | Nickname for Katherine or Kristina | French / English |
| Kacey | Watchful, vigilant | Irish |
| Kerensa | Love | Cornish |
| Karsyn | Son of Carr (swamp) | Scottish |
| Kaydence | Rhythm (variant of Cadence) | American |
| Kensington | Cynesige’s town; the London district | English |
| Kallie | Beautiful | Greek |
| Keaton | Place of hawks | Old English |
| Kalliope | Beautiful voice (Greek spelling of Calliope) | Greek |
| Kyra | Lady, lordly | Greek |
Short K names for girls
Quick, catchy names — ideal with a long surname or as a middle name. More in short girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kai | Sea | Hawaiian |
| Kira | Ruler (Persian); light, sunbeam (Russian/Japanese) | Persian / Russian |
| Keely | Slender, beautiful | Irish |
| Kim | Royal fortress meadow (short for Kimberly) | English |
| Kari | Pure (Norwegian form of Katherine) | Norwegian |
| Kaya | Resting place (Japanese); little elder sister (Hopi) | Japanese / Hopi |
| Kenza | Treasure | Arabic (Maghreb) |
| Kiya | Name of an Egyptian queen of Akhenaten | Egyptian |
Nature names that start with K
Flowers, birds and landscapes starting with K. Find more in nature names for girls.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kamelia | Camellia flower | Slavic / Latin |
| Kalina | Viburnum shrub (Slavic); flower (Sanskrit) | Slavic / Sanskrit |
| Kalei | The flower wreath, beloved one | Hawaiian |
| Karina | Keel; dear, beloved | Latin / Scandinavian |
| Kyanite | Blue gemstone | English (from Greek) |
| Kiele | Gardenia; fragrant blossom | Hawaiian |
| Kōwhai | The yellow-flowering native tree | Māori |
| Kerria | Yellow-flowered shrub, named for William Kerr | Botanical |
| Koru | Unfurling fern frond; new life | Māori |
K names from around the world
International K names with pronunciation help where needed. More at Japanese girl names and Irish girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kalani | The heavens, sky | Hawaiian |
| Keiko | Blessed child | Japanese |
| Kaveri | A sacred river of southern India | Sanskrit / Tamil |
| Kiana | Divine, from Diana; also Hawaiian form | Hawaiian / Persian |
| Kamala | Lotus | Sanskrit |
| Kasia | Pure (Polish diminutive of Katarzyna) | Polish |
| Katarzyna | Pure | Polish |
| Kaede | Maple leaf | Japanese |
| Kerry | From County Kerry, “descendants of Ciar” | Irish |
| Kahurangi | Precious treasure (greenstone) | Māori |
| Kavya | Poetry | Sanskrit |
| Kaori | Fragrance | Japanese |
| Kerstin | Follower of Christ | Swedish |
| Kalliopi | Beautiful voice | Modern Greek |
| Kaja | Pure | Scandinavian / Polish |
| Kamaria | Like the moon | Swahili |
| Kyoko | Mirror child; capital child | Japanese |
| Khadija | Early baby; wife of the Prophet | Arabic |
| Kasumi | Mist, haze | Japanese |
| Kalyani | Auspicious, lovely | Sanskrit |
| Katya | Pure (Russian diminutive of Ekaterina) | Russian |
| Kinga | Brave in battle; St. Kinga of Poland | Polish / Hungarian |
| Kanani | The beauty | Hawaiian |
| Kalea | Joy, happiness | Hawaiian |
| Kaisa | Pure (Finnish form of Katherine) | Finnish |
| Khalida | Immortal, eternal | Arabic |
| Keturah | Incense (Genesis 25) | Hebrew |
Mythological and legendary K names
Goddesses and heroines from around the world. See goddess names and mythology girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kalypso | She who hides; nymph of the Odyssey | Greek |
| Kore | Maiden; another name for Persephone | Greek |
| Kuan Yin | Bodhisattva of compassion | Chinese |
| Kaguya | Radiant night; moon princess of Japanese folklore | Japanese |
| Kamadhenu | Divine wish-granting cow of Hindu myth | Sanskrit |
| Kassandra | Prophetess of Troy | Greek |
| Kunti | Mother of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata | Sanskrit |
| Kirke | Greek spelling of Circe, the enchantress | Greek |
Choosing a K name
- K or C? Many names come in both spellings (Katherine/Catherine, Kara/Cara). K usually reads more modern; C more traditional.
- Check pronunciation. Kiara, Kira and Keira sound almost identical; pick the spelling that best signals the sound you want.
- Mind the initials. K with some combos spells K.K.K. — avoid three K initials altogether.
- Honor heritage. Hawaiian K names like Kalani and Kehlani carry real meanings in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi; learn them before choosing.
- Balance hard sounds. K is a hard consonant; a soft middle name (Kit Eloise, Kaia Rose) keeps the full name flowing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular girl name that starts with K?
Kinsley, Kennedy and Kehlani are among the top K names for girls in the US in recent SSA data, along with Khloe and Kaia.
What are unique girl names that start with K?
Kestrel, Kerensa, Keziah, Kalani, Kahurangi and Kamaria are unusual in the US and have strong meanings.
What K girl names mean “pure”?
Katherine and its many forms — Kate, Kathleen, Karen, Kari, Kaia, Katrina and Katarzyna — are traditionally interpreted as “pure.”
What are Hawaiian girl names that start with K?
Kalani (the heavens), Kehlani (sea and sky), Kalei (flower wreath, beloved) and Kiele (gardenia) are well-loved Hawaiian K names.
Is Kit a girl’s name?
Yes. Kit has long been a nickname for Katherine and works well as a standalone name for girls.