Kimchi
Kimchi, also written as kimchee, is a traditional Korean side dish (banchan) consisting of salted and fermented vegetables, most often napa cabbage or Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including gochugaru, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal. Kimchi is also used in a variety of soups and stews.
Meaning & Origin of Kimchi
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kimchi, also written as kimchee, is a traditional Korean side dish (banchan) consisting of salted and fermented vegetables, most often napa cabbage or Korean radish. A wide selection of seasonings are used, including gochugaru, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal. Kimchi is also used in a variety of soups and stews.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kimchi
Kimchi first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1990, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1990, when 5 Kimchis were born — ranking #12,959 that year. As of 2026, Kimchi ranks #12,959 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Kimchis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kimchi
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kimchi is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kimchi
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About the name Kimchi
Kimchi is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Kimchi's peak popularity came in 1990 when it ranked #12,959. Use the chart and map above to compare Kimchi's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1990 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.