Kemberly first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Kemberly has been for the last 46 years (from 1975 to 2020) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Kemberly

A feminine given name derived from the English surname Kimble or Kemble.

Popularity of Kemberly by gender

Based on the last 46 years of data, Kemberly is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2020, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Kemberly.

Year Male Count Female Count
2020 0 5
2017 0 7
2015 0 11
2014 0 7
2013 0 6
2012 0 5
2011 0 15
2010 0 12
2009 0 17
2008 0 23
2007 0 21
2006 0 29
2005 0 30
2004 0 34
2003 0 28
2002 0 28
2001 0 23
2000 0 30
1999 0 31
1998 0 43
1997 0 40
1996 0 26
1995 0 27
1994 0 25
1993 0 19
1992 0 18
1991 0 12
1990 0 20
1989 0 24
1988 0 13
1987 0 24
1986 0 29
1985 0 14
1984 0 25
1983 0 21
1982 0 20
1981 0 26
1980 0 21
1979 0 18
1978 0 23
1977 0 29
1976 0 32
1975 0 26

The history of the first name Kemberly

The name Kemberly is a relatively modern and unique variation of the more common English name Kimberly, which itself is derived from the ancient Germanic name Kyneburg or Cyneburg. This original name is composed of the elements "cyne" meaning "royal" and "burg" meaning "fortress" or "protection."

Kyneburg was a feminine name used during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD. It was borne by a 7th-century English saint, Kyneburg of Mereham, who founded a monastery near Newcastle. The name evolved over time, with variants like Kimbrough and Kymbery appearing in medieval records.

The modern spelling Kimberly emerged in the 19th century, possibly influenced by the surname Kimberley, named after a town in Nottinghamshire, England. One of the earliest recorded instances of Kimberly as a given name was Kimberly Johnson, born in 1838 in Pennsylvania, United States.

Notable historical figures named Kimberly include Kimberly Peirce, an American film director born in 1967, known for her movies "Boys Don't Cry" and "Stop-Loss." Kimberly Elise, born in 1967, is an American actress who has appeared in films like "Beloved" and "For Colored Girls."

Kimberly Wooten, born in 1962, is a former professional tennis player from the United States, who reached the semifinals of the US Open in 1986. Kimberly Brown, born in 1976, is a British classical soprano and Grammy Award winner.

Kimberly Cowell, born in 1966, is an American author and journalist, best known for her work on the book "Marie Antoinette: A Life." These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Kimberly or its variant Kemberly throughout history.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Kemberly was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Kemberly, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Kemberly first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 12, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/kemberly-meaning-and-history/.

"Kemberly first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/kemberly-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 12 October, 2025

Kemberly first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/kemberly-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.