Kit
Kit is a given name. It can be short for Christopher, Katherine, Kathleen, Kitty, among others.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Kit
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kit is a given name. It can be short for Christopher, Katherine, Kathleen, Kitty, among others.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Kit
As a girl name
Kit first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1925, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2026: 205 births, good for #1,168 nationwide. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 43% of all recorded Kits. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,168 among girl names with 205 births, rising sharply (+140% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Kits have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Kit on the record books as a boy name in 1880, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 200 Kits were born — ranking #1,083 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Kits. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,083 among boy names with 200 births, rising sharply (+79% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Kits have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Kit
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Kit. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Caetlin
- Caitlin
- Caitlyn
- Cat
- Cate
- Catharine
- Catherin
- Catherina
- Catherine
- Cathie
- Cathleen
- Cathryn
- Cathy
- Catrina
- Chip
- Chris
- Christie
- Christopher
- Christy
- Kaety
- Kaitlin
- Kaitlyn
- Kaitlynn
- Kat
- Kate
- Katee
- Katelin
- Katelyn
- Katelynn
- Katey
- Katharine
- Katharyn
- Katherina
- Katherine
- Katheryn
- Katheryne
- Kathi
- Kathie
- Kathleen
- Kathlyn
- Kathryn
- Kathy
- Katie
- Katlyn
- Katrina
- Katy
- Kay
- Kester
- Kittie
- Kitty
- Kristopher
- Topher
Notable people named Kit
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Kit Ahern (1915–2007), Irish politician
- Kit Armstrong (born 1992), American-born pianist and composer
- Kit Bond (born 1939), American politician and U.S. Senator from Missouri
- Kit Burns (1831–1870), American gang leader
- Kit Carson (1809–1868), American frontiersman
- Kit Chan (born 1972), Singaporean singer
- Kit Coleman (1864–1915), Canadian journalist
- Kit Connor (born 2004), English actor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Kit
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kit is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Kitt
- Kitte
- Cut
- Ket
- Kett
- Kut
- Cuit
- Kette
- Kete
- Kutt
- Ccot
- Cat
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kit
What does the name Kit mean?
What is the origin of the name Kit?
How popular is Kit in 2026?
When was Kit most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kit most popular?
Is Kit a unisex name?
What names go well with Kit?
What are nicknames or variants of Kit?
About the name Kit
Kit is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Kit's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #739. Use the chart and map above to compare Kit's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.