Kiing
A masculine name originating from African languages, possibly meaning "powerful king".
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the first name Kiing. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kiing today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kiing births was 2018 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kiing. 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
126
~ 1 in 2,720,273 Americans
Peak year
2018
18 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2022 SSA rank
#9,459
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Kiing: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kiing from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 93 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Kiing remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kiing 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 Kiing 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 Kiing
The name Kiing has its origins in ancient Thai culture, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Proto-Tai word "khəŋ," which meant "mighty" or "powerful." This name was often given to sons of nobility and royalty, as it conveyed a sense of strength and leadership.
In the Ramkhamhaeng inscription, one of the earliest examples of written Thai, the name Kiing is mentioned as belonging to a high-ranking official in the court of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great. This inscription, dating back to 1292 CE, provides valuable insight into the historical significance of this name.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Kiing was Kiing Naresuan, a renowned Thai king who reigned from 1590 to 1605. He is celebrated for his military prowess and for liberating the Kingdom of Ayutthaya from Burmese occupation. His legacy as a skilled warrior and visionary leader has made him an iconic figure in Thai history.
Another notable figure was Kiing Taksin, who ruled from 1767 to 1782. He was instrumental in reuniting the fragmented Thai kingdoms and establishing the Thonburi Kingdom. His reign marked a period of cultural and economic revival, and he is remembered for his strategic military campaigns against Burmese and Khmer invasions.
In the 19th century, Kiing Mongkut, also known as Rama IV, ascended to the throne of Siam (modern-day Thailand) in 1851. He is renowned for his extensive reforms, including the modernization of the Thai legal system, promoting education, and engaging in diplomatic relations with Western powers.
Beyond the borders of Thailand, the name Kiing also holds significance. In ancient Indian texts, there is a reference to a sage named Kiing Rishi, who is credited with composing several hymns in the Rigveda, one of the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism.
Over the centuries, the name Kiing has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and religious leaders. While its popularity may have waxed and waned, it remains a name steeped in historical significance, evoking a sense of strength, power, and cultural heritage.
People
Kiing + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kiing 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
Kiing: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kiing?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 126 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kiing 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 2,720,273 US residents.
Is Kiing a common name?
We classify Kiing as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 127 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kiing most popular?
The single biggest year for Kiing was 2018, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kiing 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 Kiing in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kiing a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kiing 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 Kiing still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kiing 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 Kiing 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 have the name Kiing?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.