Khing
A given name of Cambodian origin meaning "precious jewel".
Name Census estimates that about 107 living Americans carry the first name Khing. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Khing today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Khing births was 2016 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Khing. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
107
~ 1 in 3,203,312 Americans
Peak year
2016
14 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2023 SSA rank
#10,279
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Khing: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Khing from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 72 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Khing remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Khing by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Khing during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Khing
The name Khing has its origins in Southeast Asia, particularly in the languages and cultures of the region. It can be traced back to the ancient Khmer civilization, which flourished in what is now Cambodia and parts of Thailand and Vietnam from the 9th to the 15th century.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Khing can be found in the ancient Khmer inscriptions and stone carvings, where it was used as a title or honorific for nobility and royalty. The name is believed to have derived from the Khmer word "kheng," meaning "powerful" or "mighty."
In the 12th century, a powerful Khmer ruler named Khing Jayavarman VII ascended to the throne. He is credited with the construction of the magnificent Angkor Wat temple complex, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. His reign marked a significant period in the history of the Khmer Empire, and his name has become synonymous with strength and architectural grandeur.
Another notable figure with the name Khing was Khing Hungsri, a revered Buddhist monk who lived in the 16th century. He was renowned for his teachings and his contributions to the preservation of Khmer culture and literature. His writings and teachings are still studied and revered in parts of Southeast Asia today.
In the 19th century, a Cambodian prince named Khing Norodom played a crucial role in the country's struggle for independence from French colonial rule. He was instrumental in negotiating treaties and advocating for Cambodian sovereignty, ultimately leading to the establishment of the modern Cambodian monarchy.
Khing Samreth, a prominent Cambodian politician and diplomat, was born in 1936. He served as the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs and played a key role in Cambodia's international relations during the tumultuous years of the Khmer Rouge regime and its aftermath.
While the name Khing has its roots in ancient Southeast Asian cultures, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with strong cultural and historical ties to the region. However, its historical and cultural significance remains deeply rooted in the traditions and heritage of Cambodia and the surrounding areas.
People
Khing + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Khing as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Khing: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Khing?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 107 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Khing going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 3,203,312 US residents.
Is Khing a common name?
We classify Khing as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 108 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Khing most popular?
The single biggest year for Khing was 2016, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Khing is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Khing in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Khing a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Khing in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Khing still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Khing in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Khing can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Khing?
Find out how many Americans are named Khing on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.