Global celebrity Kim Kardashian has disclosed that the world almost knew her by a different name at the launch of her reality television career. The 44-year-old businesswoman and actress made a pivotal, last-minute switch from her full name just as she was introduced to audiences in 2007.
The Name Behind the Chyron
In a recent interview with Time, Kardashian explained that she had always gone by Kimberly until production began on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The moment of truth came when she saw her name appear as a caption on screen. "I said, 'I think that's so long for people to say.' And like, 'Let's just shorten it to Kim,'" she recalled.
She admitted the change now feels strange, as her father and childhood friends still call her Kimberly. The reality series, produced by Bunim/Murray and Ryan Seacrest, famously catapulted Kim and her family—including Kris Jenner, Kourtney, Khloe, Rob, Kendall, and Kylie—into global superstardom.
Masterminding the Kardashian Empire
Kim also claimed significant credit for convincing her famously reluctant sisters to sign up for the show. Her persuasive pitch centred on promoting their Los Angeles clothing boutique, DASH. "I let them know that, you know, it'll bring such great promotion to our store. And they were in once they heard that," she stated.
Her ambition for reality television was sparked much earlier, she revealed, dating back to watching MTV's The Real World as an 11-year-old. She and a friend even made a plan to send an audition tape when they turned 18. This childhood dream came full circle when she signed with the same producers behind The Real World for her family's show.
Kardashian's entrepreneurial spirit, she noted, predated her TV fame. "I was working in my dad's office, having my little eBay business, closet-organising business and making hair accessories and selling them at Fred Segal," she told Time.
The O.J. Simpson Bible Auction Controversy
In a separate but headline-grabbing matter, Kardashian recently found herself at the centre of a public dispute over a Bible that once belonged to O.J. Simpson. The book held deep sentimental value as it was a gift from her late father, Robert Kardashian Sr., to Simpson in June 1994.
On her current Hulu series, The Kardashians, Kim disclosed she had privately offered $15,000 for the heirloom, which contained a handwritten inscription from her father. Her private letter was leaked online, and the executor of Simpson's estate, Malcolm LaVergne, rejected her offer outright.
LaVergne fired back publicly, telling TMZ the estate was legally bound to auction the item to pay off Simpson's debts. He also took a pointed jab at Kardashian's recent attempts to become a lawyer, stating, "No wonder she can’t pass the bar. By the way, I’ve passed three. First time each."
The Bible ultimately sold at auction for $80,000—more than five times Kim's initial bid. The identity of the buyer remains unknown. Robert Kardashian, a devout Christian who died from oesophageal cancer in 2003 when Kim was 22, was famously part of Simpson's defence team during the 1995 murder trial.
