Kennedy

Kennedy - A very unique male name

Kennedy appeared on the charts for the first time in 1955 on position #1673. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Kennedy and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Kennedy? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Kennedy. The baby boy name Kennedy was given to 29 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2130 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 50,562 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kennedy peaked in popularity 62 years ago in 1964 on position 512.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Kennedy, 1-5?

Kennedy is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kennedy is currently topping the baby name charts in Georgia at position #1,162 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,343.

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 Kennedy is where you live.

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Kennedy origin and meaning

Irish surname transfer

A transferred Irish surname, Ó Cinnéide; its traditional gloss 'helmeted head' is disputed

Kennedy is the anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Cinnéide, famous worldwide through President John F. Kennedy. As a boys' name in the US it peaked in 1964 — the year after the President's assassination — at 191 births, and has fallen since; the name's modern popularity belongs overwhelmingly to girls. The surname's own meaning is traditionally given as 'helmeted head' but is disputed, so it is not stated as fact.

Origin uncertain

Kennedy is a 7 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Kennedy, pop culture references for the name Kennedy and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Kennedy

We've found the following names that sound similar to Kennedy, sorted by popularity.

Kenneth / Kent / Kennith / Kenyatta / Keonte / Keontae / Kennth / Kunta / Kento / Kenta /

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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)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Kennedy

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 Kennedy 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 Kennedy?

3 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.

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Pronunciation

KEN-uh-dee · /ˈkɛnədi/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Ken

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

SurnameInternational

Why parents choose it

For a boy today, Kennedy is a deliberate, distinctive surname choice with unmistakable presidential echoes.

Worth knowing

• Most Kennedys now are girls, and the JFK association — a surname, not his given name — dominates first impressions.