Fun Facts About the Name Kum
- 28 babies named Kum: U.S. records list 28 babies given the name Kum from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Kum Mean?
Kum is a Korean name commonly explained as meaning "gold," from the Sino-Korean syllable 금 (geum). The syllable is written with a Chinese character (hanja); in the 金 form, the character literally means "gold" or "metal." Korean names often use hanja, and the same sound can be written with other characters, such as 錦 ("brocade") or 琴 ("zither"), so the meaning of a particular Kum depends on the hanja chosen. The "gold" sense is a literal meaning, not a later symbolic interpretation.
Kum Name History & Origins
The form Kum is an older English romanization of Korean 금, now usually spelled Geum in Revised Romanization; McCune-Reischauer writes it Kŭm. The syllable belongs to the Sino-Korean layer of Korean vocabulary, which was borrowed from Chinese and used in name formation. In Korean naming practice, hanja were chosen to give a name its meaning, so a syllable such as 금 could be written 金, 錦, or 琴. The character 金 is also the source of the surname Kim, but as a surname it has the special reading kim rather than the ordinary geum. Because a person's hanja are not always known from the romanized name alone, the exact sense of a particular Kum can be uncertain.
How Popular is the Name Kum?
Kum 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 1940. Its best rank was #4,105 in 1940.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | #6,747 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #5,367 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #4,711 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #4,917 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1940 | #4,105 | 6 | 0.0005% |
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.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with K
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How the Name Kum 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. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Kum's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Kum's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.