Kenny

Kenny - A very unique male name

Kenny appeared on the charts for the first time in 1919 on position #1810. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Kenny and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Kenny? 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 Kenny. The baby boy name Kenny was given to 104 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1278 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 14,099 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kenny peaked in popularity 66 years ago in 1960 on position 169.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Kenny, 1-5?

Kenny is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kenny is currently topping the baby name charts in Massachusetts at position #489 - and is the least popular in North Carolina at position #1,214.

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 Kenny is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Kenny origin and meaning

Nickname for Kenneth (Gaelic)

The familiar form of Kenneth, from Gaelic Coinneach, 'handsome'

Kenny is the everyday nickname of Kenneth that large numbers of parents have put straight on the birth certificate. It peaked as a given name in 1960 and has been falling since, so today it reads as a friendly dad-generation name.

Attested etymology

Kenny is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Kenny

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

Keegan / Kim / Ken / 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)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Kenny

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 Kenny 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 Kenny?

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.

---

Pronunciation

KEN-ee · /ˈkɛni/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Kennie — A rare spelling variant

Nicknames: Ken

Famous bearers

• Kenny Rogers — Country music star known for 'The Gambler' (1938–2020) Contemporary
• Kenny Chesney — Country music star (b. 1968) Contemporary

Style

Nickname nameClassic

Why parents choose it

Kenny is chosen for its easy, approachable feel — a nickname name that skips the formality of Kenneth.

Worth knowing

• Many will assume it is short for Kenneth