Today, Kim Kardashian is a name synonymous with fame and glamour, but before she became a household staple, she nearly introduced herself to the world under a different moniker.

At the age of 44, the renowned makeup entrepreneur and actress from “All’s Fair” shared that she made a pivotal decision about her name right before the launch of her family’s reality television show in 2007.

The debut of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” not only granted audiences an intimate glimpse into her life, alongside family members Kris Jenner, Kourtney, Khloe, Rob, Kendall, and Kylie, but it also catapulted her into international stardom.

In a recent interview with Time, Kim reflected on this significant choice: “I used to always go by Kimberly, until we signed on to do the reality show,” she stated.

When she saw her name appear as a chyron – the caption that runs across the bottom of a TV screen – reading ‘Kimberly Kardashian,’ she realized it was too long. 

She elaborated on her decision, saying, “I thought, ‘I think that’s so long for people to say.’ And I said, ‘Let’s just shorten it to Kim.’”

Kim Kardashian revealed she made a last-minute name switch just before the world met her on Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2007; (pictured 2025)

‘I used to always go by Kimberly, until we signed on to do the reality show,’ she told Time  

‘And it’s so weird, because all my friends from high school and growing up, and my dad, everyone calls me Kimberly.’ 

She also claimed credit for convincing her sisters to sign on, pitching the show as a way to promote their Los Angeles clothing store, DASH.

‘I mean, the whole reason we wanted to start our show was to bring attention to our DASH store – at least that’s how I was able to get my sisters to sign on. 

‘I let them know that, you know, it’ll bring such great promotion to our store. And they were in once they heard that.’

When asked if she was the mastermind behind the Kardashian empire, Kim didn’t hold back. 

‘I think I was the one that convinced everyone for sure. I really wanted it,’ she told Time.

‘I really wanted to do a reality show since the day MTV’s The Real World came out and I watched it with my best friend. I looked at her and I told her, “That’s what I’m going to do.” And she said, “I’ll be your manager.” I think we were 11.’

She continued, ‘I said, “When we’re 18, we have to make a tape and send it into The Real World.”

‘Her dad’s in the music-business management world. So she said, “Oh, we can get my dad to send it to someone at MTV.” We made a whole plan.

‘And when I looked at my chyron, Kimberly Kardashian, I said, “I think that’s so long for people to say.” And like, “Let’s just shorten it to Kim”‘

‘And it’s so weird, because all my friends from high school and growing up, and my dad, everyone calls me Kimberly,’ she added. (Middle row, L-R) Brody Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Bruce Jenner, Kris Jenner, Cassandra Jenner, Kim Kardashian, (top row, L-R) Brandon Jenner, Burton Jenner,(bottom row, L-R) Robert Kardashian, Jr, Khloe Kardashian in 1991)

‘And so when I signed on to do Keeping Up With the Kardashians, the producers were the same producers, Bunim/Murray [with Ryan Seacrest], that did The Real World.’

Kim didn’t stop there. She revealed her entrepreneurial spark predated her reality TV fame by years.

‘I was working in my dad’s office, having my little eBay business, closet-organizing business and making hair accessories and selling them at Fred Segal. There’s so much I did before I started a TV show that was entrepreneurial.’

Meanwhile, Kim got more than she bargained for after complaining she was blocked from buying the Bible her late father Robert Kardashian Sr had given OJ Simpson. 

On a recent episode of The Kardashians, she revealed she had quietly offered $15,000 for the heirloom, only for her private letter to leak online and for the executor of Simpson’s estate to reject her outright.

‘I would’ve negotiated,’ Kim fumed on the show. ‘I guess I had a little too much faith in humanity for a minute there.’

The All’s Fair star, who also revealed she failed California’s bar exam last week, even admitted she would’ve gone as high as $30,000 for the keepsake, which includes a handwritten inscription from Robert reading in part, ‘God has a definite plan for your life. You are his child and he will use you again.’

But now Simpson’s executor Malcolm LaVergne is firing back — and taking a swipe at Kardashian’s attorney ambitions for good measure.

She also claimed credit for convincing her sisters to sign on, pitching the show as a way to promote their LA clothing store DASH

‘I like how she’s trying to frame the story as I’m trying to keep it from her,’ LaVergne told TMZ on Friday. ‘No wonder she can’t pass the bar. By the way, I’ve passed three. First time each. New York, Texas and Nevada.’

He didn’t stop there, ending his comments with a final snarky jab: ‘I will give her credit for being richer than me. No denying that.’ 

The Bible ultimately sold for $80,000 – more than five times Kim’s opening bid. 

And LaVergne maintains the estate was legally required to auction it off and couldn’t entertain private deals. 

At this time, the identity of the winning bidder remains unknown.  

Back in March, LaVergne told TMZ that Kim’s offer came ‘too late to purchase it outside the auction,’ explaining that her team reached out in February after hearing items from Simpson’s estate were headed to the block.

Among them was the Bible, which contains the handwritten message from Robert to Simpson.

The inscription reads: ‘OJ, this book will help. God loves you and he will speak to you with his words. Read this book every day. God has a definite plan for your life. You are His child and He will use you again. I love you and God loves you. – Robert.’

‘I think I was the one that convinced everyone for sure. I really wanted it,’ Kim said of the show; (Khloe, Caitlyn, Kim and Kris in 2007)

LaVergne has said the Bible was given to Simpson while he was in jail after the infamous Bronco chase, with the note dated June 18, 1994 – one day after his arrest.

Kim’s team wrote in an email that due to the ‘sentimental value’ of the item, she was ‘willing to offer $15,000’ for the book.

By the time LaVergne received the message, he says the Bible ‘was already under contract and court order to be sold to pay off OJ’s debt.’

He added that accepting her offer would have been ‘insane,’ arguing the legal fees required to process a private sale would ‘rack up about that much’ on their own – and that he wasn’t willing to risk a lawsuit from Goldin Auctions.

Robert, a devout Christian, first met Simpson at USC in the late ’60s or ’70s, later reconnecting over tennis at a friend’s home.

He famously supported Simpson during the 1995 double-murder trial of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, though the longtime friends eventually drifted apart after the acquittal.

Kim was 22 when Robert died from esophageal cancer in 2003.