Kimball has a long and illustrious history. It is an Anglo-Saxon name that originated alongside a water pipe in numerous places around England. Kimball's surname may alternatively be derived from the word piper. It was originally used as a term of respect for someone who played the bagpipe. People with the first name Kim have also been known as Kim Bek, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and Kim Jong-il. The last two names are common North Korean family names. The first name Kim appears in English and Korean language journals dating back to 1444 and 1331 respectively. It became more popular after 1945 when it was adopted by South Korea's first president, Syngman Rhee. However, it has recently started to become popular again with the rise of North Korea's third leader, Kim Jong-un. There are several theories about why people choose names that begin with the letter K. Some say that it is because these names are hard to pronounce while others claim that they are used as a form of address. Whatever the reason, there are still many names starting with the letter K that we need to know!