In South Australia, Kym was a mainly masculine name. It entered the Top 100 in 1946 at #69, the same year Kym Bonython (born Hugh Reskymer Bonython in 1920), who was a prominent and active member of Adelaide society, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The peak year, by ranking, was in 1958 when it was ranked #13 (170 boys born with the name Kym), though the peak year, by number, was in 1959 when 179 boys were named Kym (ranked #14). It stayed in the top 100 continuously until 1985 (ranked #99), though the last time it was in the top 100 was in 1987 when it was in #86.Kym, as a feminine name, entered the Top 100 in 1968 at #100 {22 girls} and the name went back and forth in popularity (#89 {29 girls} in 1971, #97 {23 girls} in 1973, #90 {25 girls} in 1975 and #98 {20 girls} in 1977) before falling down in popularity, beginning in the 1980s.To date, 2, 872 males and 397 females in South Australia were born with the name Kym between 1944 and 2013 (excluding hyphen names like Kym-Marie, Kym-Lea, Kym-Michael etc.).Source: South Australian Government Data Directory (NOTE: In some years, names such as Kym can appear twice).
Every time I see this name, I want to pronounce it KIME (rhymes with dime), not KIM. While Kimberly/Kim isn't one of my favorite names, I don't really dislike it. This spelling just makes it look tacky, trendoid, and infantile.
Kym Marsh, previously Ryder nee Marsh, is a British actress and singer from the group Hear'Say, which formed on Popstars in 2001, but she left in 2002.