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Kim Kardashian may be one of the most recognizable names in pop culture, but the star says her famous moniker was a last-minute decision made right before her family stepped into the world of reality TV. In a new interview, the 45-year-old entrepreneur and The Kardashians star revealed that she officially switched from "Kimberly" to "Kim" as cameras began rolling on Keeping Up With the Kardashians in 2007.
Kardashian said the change happened when she first saw her full name displayed on a chyron during early production. "I used to always go by Kimberly," she explained, but the longer version looked bulky on screen. "I said, 'I think that's so long for people to say.' So we shortened it to Kim." Despite the global recognition that followed, she noted that her childhood friends and her late father continued to call her by her full name.
The SKIMS founder also claimed she was the driving force behind getting her family to sign on for the now-iconic series. A longtime fan of MTV's The Real World, Kardashian said she had dreamed of starring in a reality show since childhood. She recalled telling her best friend at age 11 that they would one day make an audition tape, joking that her friend had even volunteered her father, who worked in music management, to pass it to MTV.
When the opportunity finally arrived years later, Kardashian leaned into the pitch. She told her sisters Kourtney and Khloé, along with her mother Kris Jenner, that the show would spotlight their then-new clothing boutique, Dash. "I let them know it'll bring such great promotion to our store," she said, adding that this was the angle that convinced them to participate.
Kardashian also reflected on her early entrepreneurial streak, noting that she had been running small businesses long before TV fame—managing eBay resales, organizing closets and even creating handmade accessories sold in Los Angeles boutiques.
Following its 14-year run, Keeping Up With the Kardashians ended in 2021, but the family quickly transitioned to Hulu, where they continue their reality TV empire on The Kardashians.
