Total births
7,613
Girls' name · since 1956
Kia
Since 1956, U.S. Social Security records show 7,613 babies named Kia, peaking in 1993. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12361
- among girls today
- 7,613
- born since 1956
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Kia is the #12361 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 7,613 recorded since 1956.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kia has been recorded 7,613 times among girls since 1956, currently ranked #12361 nationally and more common than 30% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1956 to 2025.
- #12361 among girls today
- 7,613 born since 1956
- 1990s peak decade
- 30% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kia is currently the #12361 girls' name in America, more common than 30% of girls - 7,613 born since 1956, peaking in the 1990s.
- #12361
- among girls today
- 7,613
- born since 1956
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other girls
Kia vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#12361
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 30% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Kia was born in this single decade.
1993
Single peak year
344 babies were named Kia in 1993 - its busiest year on record.
How Kia compares
7,613 Top 10% higher than 90% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kia's all-time total is 20x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kia | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 7,613 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 344 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kia's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kia's SSA record in two at 1991 and the more recent half accounts for 39% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 61%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1956, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1993 peak of 344, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kia at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1993
Current rank
#12,361
Active since
1956
Kia popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1956–2025
- Peak year (1993)
- 344
- Annual births at peak, across 70 years of records
Kia popularity over time - boys
196 total births recorded since 1975 (Kia as boys' name)
Kia by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Kia's strongest decade.
2,294 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Kia births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 25
1950s
25 births
- 1960s 329
1960s
329 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,770 births
- 1980s
1980s
2,254 births
- 1990s
1990s
2,294 births
- 2000s 660
2000s
660 births
- 2010s 209
2010s
209 births
- 2020s 72
2020s
72 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 2,294 births (30% of all-time use).
How Kia compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Kia's total volume
Kia vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kia by state
Where Kia concentrates geographically, total births since 1956
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 638 | 8.4% |
| #2 | California | | 560 | 7.4% |
| #3 | New York | | 453 | 6.0% |
| #4 | Maryland | | 364 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Texas | | 354 | 4.6% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 290 | 3.8% |
| #7 | Florida | | 260 | 3.4% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 258 | 3.4% |
Pennsylvania share of Kia's total US births 8.4%
Even split
638 of 7,613 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 33 reporting states.
Kia appears in 33 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kia? ▼
Since 1956, Social Security records show 7,613 babies named Kia. Today it holds rank #12361 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1993, with 344 births.
When was Kia most popular? ▼
Kia was most popular in the 1990s decade with 2,294 total births. The single peak year was 1993.
Where is Kia most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kia are Pennsylvania (638 births), California (560 births), New York (453 births).
How long has the name Kia been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kia since 1956 -- 70 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kia? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kiara, Kiana, Kianna, Kiarra, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kia's data
- Kia's decade-level peak was the 1990s (2,294 total births); usage has since declined to 72 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Kias (638 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kia
Nearby Names Like Kia
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kia
Kiara Girl
#238 57,068 births
Kiana Girl
#722 26,694 births
Kianna Girl
#1595 8,747 births
Kiarra Girl
#7385 3,832 births
Kiah Girl
#2945 3,313 births
Compare Kia side by side: Kia vs Kiara Kia vs Kiana Kia vs Kianna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kia
Jovina #12360
69 births · Peak 1975
Leighanne #12362
1,313 births · Peak 1989
Beni #12359
83 births · Peak 2025
Meloni #12363
391 births · Peak 1963
Lorraina #12358
400 births · Peak 2015
Abbi #12364
2,083 births · Peak 2003
Dalynn #12357
423 births · Peak 1970
Mandi #12365
10,025 births · Peak 1977
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1956–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kia: #12361 Girls' Name - 7,613 Births, Peak 1993." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kia. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Kia draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.