Ken - A very unique male name
Ken at a glance
Ken is ranked #3318 among boy baby names in 2025, with 8 births in 2025. It peaked in 1960 at #177 and first appeared on the charts in 1918.
- Rank in 2025
- #3318
- Births in 2025
- 8
- Peak year
- 1960 (#177)
- First appeared
- 1918
- Trend
- #2306 in 2020 → #3318 in 2025 (Falling)
- Popularity
- 1 in 183,286 boys
- Visitor rating
- 5.0/5 (2 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 183,286 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ken peaked in popularity 66 years ago in 1960 on position 177.
Famous with this name
Ken Jeong
Ken Leung
Ken Mitsuishi
How would you rate Ken, 1-5?
Ken is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ken is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #1,922 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,922.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Ken is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Ken origin and meaning
Gaelic, as a short form of Kenneth (also a Japanese name)
Uncertain at the root â Ken is chiefly the short form of Kenneth, whose Gaelic source is disputed between Cinaed, 'born of fire', and a name meaning 'handsome'
Ken was a mid-century staple as the short form of Kenneth, peaking in 1960, and it is also an unrelated Japanese name and the name of Barbie's boyfriend, created in 1961 â an association the 2023 Barbie film made unavoidable. As a baby name it has fallen to a handful of births a year.
Origin uncertain
Ken is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.
To see famous people named Ken, pop culture references for the name Ken and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Ken
We've found the following names that sound similar to Ken, sorted by popularity.
Kenny / Keegan / Kim / Kane / Keenan / Kayson / Kason / Kian / Kasen / Kyson /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 3318 |
| 2024 | 3673 |
| 2023 | 3341 |
| 2022 | 2896 |
| 2021 | 2311 |
| 2020 | 2306 |
| 2019 | 2786 |
| 2018 | 2114 |
| 2017 | 1939 |
| 2016 | 1780 |
| 2015 | 1735 |
| 2014 | 1600 |
| 2013 | 1977 |
| 2012 | 1491 |
| 2011 | 1627 |
| 2010 | 2394 |
| 2009 | 1652 |
| 2008 | 1478 |
| 2007 | 1386 |
| 2006 | 1289 |
| 2005 | 1215 |
| 2004 | 1078 |
| 2003 | 1366 |
| 2002 | 1097 |
| 2001 | 1128 |
| 2000 | 1192 |
| 1999 | 1101 |
| 1998 | 1242 |
| 1997 | 1133 |
| 1996 | 1005 |
| 1995 | 979 |
| 1994 | 1078 |
| 1993 | 1047 |
| 1992 | 1118 |
| 1991 | 975 |
| 1990 | 883 |
| 1989 | 848 |
| 1988 | 982 |
| 1987 | 862 |
| 1986 | 886 |
| 1985 | 797 |
| 1984 | 874 |
| 1983 | 988 |
| 1982 | 816 |
| 1981 | 774 |
| 1980 | 792 |
| 1979 | 828 |
| 1978 | 774 |
| 1977 | 793 |
| 1976 | 817 |
| 1975 | 704 |
| 1974 | 583 |
| 1973 | 502 |
| 1972 | 476 |
| 1971 | 434 |
| 1970 | 373 |
| 1969 | 352 |
| 1968 | 305 |
| 1967 | 283 |
| 1966 | 251 |
| 1965 | 217 |
| 1964 | 192 |
| 1963 | 180 |
| 1962 | 181 |
| 1961 | 187 |
| 1960 | 177 |
| 1959 | 182 |
| 1958 | 185 |
| 1957 | 219 |
| 1956 | 285 |
| 1955 | 345 |
| 1954 | 370 |
| 1953 | 406 |
| 1952 | 388 |
| 1951 | 409 |
| 1950 | 375 |
| 1949 | 319 |
| 1948 | 257 |
| 1947 | 249 |
| 1946 | 232 |
| 1945 | 276 |
| 1944 | 288 |
| 1943 | 291 |
| 1942 | 310 |
| 1941 | 322 |
| 1940 | 332 |
| 1939 | 345 |
| 1938 | 355 |
| 1937 | 404 |
| 1936 | 404 |
| 1935 | 453 |
| 1934 | 483 |
| 1933 | 613 |
| 1932 | 544 |
| 1931 | 640 |
| 1930 | 759 |
| 1929 | 950 |
| 1928 | 1391 |
| 1927 | 1107 |
| 1926 | 1006 |
| 1925 | 1342 |
| 1924 | 1384 |
| 1923 | 1264 |
| 1922 | 1482 |
| 1921 | 1357 |
| 1919 | 1808 |
| 1918 | 1543 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| California | 1922 |
Even more about Ken
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Ken a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Ken?
1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
KEN · /kÉn/
Around the world
- Ken (Japanese) — An unrelated Japanese name, its meaning carried by the characters used
Spellings and nicknames
- Kenneth — The full name of which Ken is the short form
- Kenny — The pet form of Ken and Kenneth
Nicknames: Kenny
Famous bearers
- Ken Burns — American documentary filmmaker known for The Civil War and Baseball; born Kenneth Lauren Burns and known as Ken (b. 1953) Contemporary
- Ken — Barbie's boyfriend in the Mattel doll line, introduced in 1961 and played by Ryan Gosling in Barbie (2023) (Fictional, 1961) Fictional
Style
Short formNickname name
Why parents choose it
Ken is about as plain and friendly as a name gets â one syllable, no frills. Today it carries an unavoidable wink toward the doll, which some parents will enjoy and others will not.
Worth knowing
- Since the 2023 Barbie film, the doll association dominates the name completely.
- It will usually be assumed to be short for Kenneth or Kendall.
