Kenneth

Kenneth - A very unique male name

Kenneth appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #39. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Kenneth and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Kenneth? 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 Kenneth. The baby boy name Kenneth was given to 1,127 baby boys in 2025, ranking #292 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,301 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kenneth peaked in popularity 87 years ago in 1939 on position 13.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Kenneth, 1-5?

Kenneth is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kenneth is currently topping the baby name charts in Alaska at position #127 - and is the least popular in Arizona at position #542.

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 Kenneth is where you live.

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Kenneth origin and meaning

Scottish Gaelic — two names merged

From Coinneach, 'handsome,' blended with Cinaed, 'born of fire' — two Gaelic names that merged into one Scottish royal name

Kenneth was the name of Kenneth MacAlpin, traditionally the first king of Scots, and its Gaelic ancestry mixes two originally separate names. In the US it was a top-20 staple at mid-century, peaking in 1957, and has fallen steadily to #292 — a grandpa-era classic awaiting its revival turn.

Attested etymology

Kenneth is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Kenneth

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

Kent / Kennith / Kennedy / 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 Kenneth

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 Kenneth 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 Kenneth?

2 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-eth · /ˈkɛnɪθ/

Around the world

• Kennet (Swedish) — Swedish form of the same name

Spellings and nicknames

• Kennet — Swedish form, rare as a US spelling

Nicknames: KenKenny

Famous bearers

• Kenneth Branagh — British actor and director known for his Shakespeare films (b. 1960) Contemporary
• Kenneth Grahame — Scottish author of The Wind in the Willows (1859–1932) Historical

Style

ClassicRoyal

Why parents choose it

Kenneth is a dignified Scottish classic whose mid-century peak is long past, leaving it familiar but uncommon for babies.

Worth knowing

• Ken and Kenny are hard to avoid, and Ken now carries an extra pop-culture echo from the Barbie films.