Kimberly

[ˈkʰɪmbɚli]

/[ˈkʰɪmbɚli]/ name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"kimberly" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Kimberly” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,170 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#17,170
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A surname.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Kimberly vs Kimber
75% similar
Kimberly vs Kimberley
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Kimberly
PropertyValue
HeadwordKimberly
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA[ˈkʰɪmbɚli]
Letters8
Frequency rank#17,170
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Kimberly” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Kimberly lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Kimberly is 8 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈkʰɪmbɚli]. Corpus data places it at rank #17,170 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for Kimberly, with forms such as "ikmberly", "kibmerly", and "kimbberly". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Kimber", "Kimberley", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Variant spelling of Kimberley. The correct English form is Kimberly, spelled K-I-M-B-E-R-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A surname.
  2. 2
    A unisex given name transferred from the surname, popular in the 1960s and the 1970s.
  3. 3
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  4. 4
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  5. 5
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  6. 6
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  7. 7
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  8. 8
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  9. 9
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  10. 10
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  11. 11
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  12. 12
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:
  13. 13
    Any of several places in the US named for persons with the surname:

Etymology

Variant spelling of Kimberley.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ikmberly,kibmerly,kimbberly,kimbelry,kimberlly,kimberlyy,kimberrly,kimberyl,kimbrely,kimebrly,kimmberly,kkimberly,kmiberly

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Kimberly - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ikmberly2kibmerly2kimbberly1kimbelry2kimberlly1kimberlyy1kimberrly1kimberyl2
Edit distance from "Kimberly"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Kimberly"?
"Kimberly" is spelled K-I-M-B-E-R-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈkʰɪmbɚli].
What does "Kimberly" mean?
As a proper noun, "Kimberly" means: A surname.
What words are commonly confused with "Kimberly"?
"Kimberly" is commonly confused with "Kimber", "Kimberley". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Kimberly"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Kimberly" is [ˈkʰɪmbɚli]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Kimberly"?
Variant spelling of Kimberley. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Kimberly”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is K-I-M-B-E-R-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈkʰɪmbɚli] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Kimber” - see the side-by-side comparison. Kimberly vs Kimber
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list