Kim

Kim is a surname of Korean origin and, in other contexts, a given name in various cultures. It is widely used as both a family name and, in English-speaking countries, a personal name.

In Korea, the surname 김 is written in hanja as 金, meaning "gold" or "metal." It is the most common surname in Korea, carried by roughly 20% of the population in South Korea. The Kim surname is associated with many lineages, or bon-gwan, such as Gimhae Kim and Gyeongju Kim.

As a given name, Kim is common in English-speaking countries as a unisex first name, often a short form of Kimberly, Kimiko, or other names. In Korea, Kim is almost exclusively a surname; given names are typically two syllables and combined with different hanja.

Notable people named Kim include Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea; Kim Kardashian, American media personality; and Kim Basinger, American actress. The name has appeared across literature, film, and music and remains one of the most recognizable Korean surnames worldwide.