Fun Facts About the Name Kinston
- 183 babies named Kinston: U.S. records list 183 babies given the name Kinston from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kinston Mean?
Kinston is a variant spelling of Kingston, an English place name and surname meaning "king's town" or "royal estate." It comes from Old English cyning, "king," and tūn, an enclosure, farmstead, or settlement. The -ton ending seen in modern spellings is the usual later form of tūn. In Kinston, the vowel of the second element is written i, which reflects the reduced, unstressed sound that final syllables of this type normally have in English speech.
Kinston Name History & Origins
Kingston is an old English place name found in many counties, and the surname Kingston grew out of those towns before spreading as a family name. Kinston is a less common spelling of the same elements rather than a separate etymology, and the two spellings are usually treated as variants of one name.
The best-known bearer of the Kinston spelling is the city in North Carolina. It was laid out in the 1760s under the name Kingston and the spelling was later changed to Kinston. As a first name, Kinston is uncommon and is found mainly in the United States, where it is used alongside the more familiar Kingston.
How Popular is the Name Kinston?
Kinston has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2019. Its best rank was #5,693 in 2019.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,235 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #11,690 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #13,290 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #7,829 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #5,693 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2018 | #7,399 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #9,327 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #11,530 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #9,208 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #6,877 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #6,097 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #7,880 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #7,825 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #7,898 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #11,810 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #6,611 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #9,381 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #10,862 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #8,980 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #11,389 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #9,660 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Kinston Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Kinston's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kinston's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.