King is a distinctive choice, ranked #857 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only King in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#857
US Rank #342
About the Name King
King has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 138 places in five years. It was most popular in 2017 at #572 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1997.
King is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #342, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name King
Unlikely. With around 37 UK babies named King per year, your child will almost certainly be the only King in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
King has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 138 places in the last five years. Its peak was #572 in 2017. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
King is more popular in the US (#342) than in the UK (#857). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
King appears in the US top 500 at #342 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
37
UK babies named King (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 138 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name King
Likely around 1 other King in the class
UK Popularity (1997–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to King
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Edward Calhoun King was an American musician. He was a guitarist for the psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and guitarist and bassist for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1972 to 1975, and again from 1987 to 1996.
Yolanda Denise King was an American activist and campaigner for African-American rights and first-born child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, who pursued artistic and entertainment endeavors and public speaking.
King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation.