Kimber

• Origin English
• Meaning: debated
• Gender: Predominantely female; rare use on males
• Short forms: Kim, Kimmie, Kimmy
• First Est. 15th-century on females as a modern variation of Cynburh; 18th-century on males

From the transferred use of the English surname, Kimber may have several origins. It is most commonly associated with East and West Kimber in Devon, whose names probably derive from the Old English personal name Cempa or cempa, “warrior,” combined with bearu, “grove; wood.” The surname may also be a variant of Kember, an occupational name for a comber, or an altered form of the archaic English female name Kimbery or Kimbrough, which descends from the Old English female name Cyneburh, meaning “royal fortress.”

Kimber appears sporadically as a masculine given name in records dating from the 18th century. In these early instances, it was most likely bestowed in honour of a family surname.

As a modern female given name, Kimber is also commonly used as a shortened form of Kimberly. Through Kimberly—particularly the Norfolk place-name Kimberley—it may have an indirect connection to Cyneburh. However, Kimber should not be presented unequivocally as the direct modern form of that Anglo-Saxon name.

Kimber gained wider recognition during the 1980s through Kimber Benton, a character in the animated television series Jem and the Holograms. The name entered the U.S. Top 1000 Female Names in 1988 at #788 but disappeared after 1990. Its return in 2010 may have been influenced by Kimber Henry, a prominent character on the television series Nip/Tuck, which aired from 2003 to 2010. Its subsequent rise was likely reinforced by the growing popularity of surname-style female names and names ending in -er. Kimber reached its highest position of #598 in 2019 and currently ranks at #936 as of 2025.

Sister Names: Afton, Ainsley, Arden, Ashlyn, Bellamy, Bennett, Berkley, Blair, Bree, Briley, Cambry, Camryn, Chandler, Colbie, Collins, Copelyn, Delaney, Devin, Dylan, Ellery, Emberlyn(n), Emerson, Fallon, Flannery, Greer, Hadley, Harlow, Harper, Haven, Jensyn, Jill, Jordan/Jordyn, Kendall, Kennedy, Kinsley, Laken, Lakelyn, Madison, Marison, Merritt, M(a)ckenzie, McKenna, Neve, Oakley, Paige, Paisley, Piper, Quinby, Reese, Scottie, Scotlyn, Sheridan, Skylar, Sutton, Tatum, Wrenley

Brother Names: Adler, Ansel, Axton, Avery, Beck(ett), Blaine, Blake, Brewer, Brock, Bryson, Cade, Chandler, Coast, Colton, Darian, Darwin, Devin, Dutton, Dylan, Elliott, Emmett, Emory, Flynn, Foster, Gatlin, Holden, Hudson, Irving, Jagger, Jordan, Judson, Kent, Lisle/Lyle, Macklin, Mitchell, Norris, Palmer, Quinn, Rhett, Rowan, Ryan, Ryder, Scott, Shepherd, Spencer, Tate, Tyler, Vance, Wallace, Wesley

Sources

• https://www.behindthename.com/name/kimber
• http://www.findagrave.come
• http://www.familysearch.org