Kenneth Boy

Popularity: #281 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KEN-eth //ˈkɛnəθ//

Origin: Scottish; Gaelic

Meaning: Scottish: born of fire; Gaelic: handsome

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Kenneth has its roots in the Gaelic name "Coinneach," which means "handsome" or "born of fire." This name evolved into the Old Irish form "Cennétig," which combines the elements "ceann" (head) and "teag" (a diminutive suffix), suggesting a meaning akin to "chief" or "leader." The name made its way into the English language through the influence of Scottish culture, particularly during the medieval period when Gaelic names were often anglicized. The transition from Gaelic to English saw the name appear in various forms, including "Kenneth" and "Kenny." Historically, the name Kenneth is associated with several notable figures, most prominently Kenneth MacAlpin, who is often credited as the first King of Scots in the 9th century.

His reign marked the unification of the Picts and Scots, laying the foundation for the Kingdom of Scotland. The name gained further prominence through the 10th-century Scottish king Kenneth II and the 11th-century king Kenneth III, both of whom contributed to the establishment of the Scottish monarchy.

The name's significance was also reinforced by its appearance in various historical texts and chronicles, including the Annals of the Four Masters and the works of later historians. Culturally, Kenneth has been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing leadership and nobility.

The name has been borne by numerous saints, further enhancing its religious and cultural resonance. In literature, Kenneth appears in works such as Sir Walter Scott's poetry, where it evokes themes of valor and heritage.

The diminutive form "Kenny" has also emerged, reflecting a more familiar or affectionate usage, though it is not as historically significant as the full name. Overall, Kenneth's enduring legacy is intertwined with Scottish history and culture, embodying qualities of strength and beauty.

Famous people named Kenneth

In this section, you will find notable people named Kenneth. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Kenneth who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Kenneth who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Kenneth Branagh is an actor and director best known for Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and Murder on the Orient Express.

Kenneth Cole is a fashion designer and businessman best known for Kenneth Cole Productions and his philanthropic efforts.

Kenneth Lonergan is a playwright, screenwriter, and director best known for You Can Count on Me, Margaret, and Manchester by the Sea.

Kenneth G. Wilson is a physicist best known for his work in statistical physics and critical phenomena.

Kenneth Anger is a filmmaker and author best known for his experimental films and the book Hollywood Babylon.

Fictional characters named Kenneth

The following list of fictional characters named Kenneth is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Kenneth is a fictional character from the TV series 30 Rock. He is the earnest and optimistic page who works at NBC and often serves as a foil to the more cynical characters around him.

Kenneth Parcell is a fictional character from the animated series The Simpsons. He is a minor character who is known for his role as a member of the Springfield Elementary School staff.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Kenneth, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

KevinKyleKurtKieranKendallKelley

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Kenneth. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

KendrickKentonKendallKeenanKieranKurtisKellanKendry

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Kenneth was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Kenneth has ranked as high as #23 nationally, which occurred in 1957, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Kenneth has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Kenneth is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Kenneth was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Kenneth.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,148 1,148 0
2024 1,190 1,190 0
2023 1,321 1,321 0
2022 1,312 1,312 0
2021 1,373 1,373 0
2020 1,483 1,483 0
2019 1,630 1,623 7
2018 1,671 1,671 0
2017 1,766 1,766 0
2016 1,926 1,921 5
2015 2,033 2,033 0
2014 2,153 2,153 0
2013 2,177 2,177 0
2012 2,224 2,224 0
2011 2,217 2,217 0
2010 2,433 2,428 5
2009 2,612 2,612 0
2008 2,973 2,967 6
2007 3,113 3,108 5
2006 3,252 3,243 9
2005 3,375 3,368 7
2004 3,442 3,425 17
2003 3,652 3,643 9
2002 3,665 3,665 0
2001 3,913 3,907 6
2000 4,158 4,152 6
1999 4,294 4,285 9
1998 4,595 4,586 9
1997 4,674 4,659 15
1996 4,984 4,973 11
1995 5,241 5,226 15
1994 5,695 5,679 16
1993 6,303 6,276 27
1992 6,754 6,732 22
1991 7,602 7,576 26
1990 8,301 8,262 39
1989 8,590 8,555 35
1988 8,636 8,567 69
1987 8,432 8,354 78
1986 8,543 8,453 90
1985 9,052 8,992 60
1984 8,876 8,790 86
1983 9,045 8,965 80
1982 9,421 9,354 67
1981 9,557 9,472 85
1980 9,689 9,608 81
1979 9,303 9,236 67
1978 9,087 9,021 66
1977 9,525 9,452 73
1976 9,202 9,127 75
1975 9,696 9,634 62
1974 10,206 10,143 63
1973 11,074 10,979 95
1972 12,412 12,334 78
1971 14,836 14,763 73
1970 16,906 16,800 106
1969 17,659 17,553 106
1968 18,171 18,077 94
1967 19,360 19,263 97
1966 20,938 20,834 104
1965 22,788 22,677 111
1964 24,977 24,850 127
1963 25,329 25,235 94
1962 25,360 25,241 119
1961 26,180 26,100 80
1960 27,794 27,701 93
1959 26,750 26,640 110
1958 26,787 26,684 103
1957 28,145 28,064 81
1956 27,504 27,432 72
1955 26,813 26,743 70
1954 26,246 26,186 60
1953 25,560 25,507 53
1952 25,972 25,909 63
1951 25,902 25,841 61
1950 23,856 23,813 43
1949 23,651 23,589 62
1948 23,610 23,550 60
1947 24,640 24,586 54
1946 22,096 22,042 54
1945 18,142 18,096 46
1944 18,142 18,093 49
1943 19,165 19,112 53
1942 18,270 18,210 60
1941 16,173 16,143 30
1940 15,186 15,132 54
1939 14,759 14,715 44
1938 14,450 14,399 51
1937 13,255 13,219 36
1936 12,520 12,486 34
1935 12,108 12,067 41
1934 11,848 11,800 48
1933 11,459 11,410 49
1932 11,801 11,742 59
1931 11,642 11,568 74
1930 11,791 11,705 86
1929 10,930 10,841 89
1928 11,244 11,167 77
1927 10,928 10,848 80
1926 10,413 10,342 71
1925 10,196 10,146 50
1924 10,401 10,355 46
1923 9,787 9,734 53
1922 9,300 9,258 42
1921 8,993 8,959 34
1920 7,876 7,840 36
1919 6,827 6,796 31
1918 6,852 6,809 43
1917 6,169 6,141 28
1916 6,042 6,012 30
1915 5,705 5,681 24
1914 4,199 4,178 21
1913 3,080 3,065 15
1912 2,549 2,538 11
1911 1,148 1,148 0
1910 880 880 0
1909 752 746 6
1908 692 692 0
1907 589 589 0
1906 534 534 0
1905 474 474 0
1904 420 414 6
1903 330 330 0
1902 275 275 0
1901 246 246 0
1900 279 279 0
1899 214 214 0
1898 191 191 0
1897 164 164 0
1896 175 175 0
1895 127 127 0
1894 105 105 0
1893 83 83 0
1892 102 102 0
1891 65 65 0
1890 72 72 0
1889 66 66 0
1888 45 45 0
1887 35 35 0
1886 38 38 0
1885 41 41 0
1884 28 28 0
1883 26 26 0
1882 22 22 0
1881 29 29 0
1880 32 32 0

Top States for Kenneth (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 131
11%
CA 108
9%
NY 63
5%
FL 62
5%
OH 57
5%
IL 46
4%
GA 45
4%
NC 39
3%
TN 36
3%
PA 36
3%
AL 33
3%
MI 33
3%
NJ 31
3%
KY 31
3%
VA 29
2%
MD 28
2%
OK 25
2%
IN 24
2%
AZ 23
2%
WI 22
2%
SC 21
2%
WA 20
2%
MS 20
2%
MA 17
1%
MN 17
1%
MO 17
1%
IA 16
1%
CT 16
1%
KS 13
1%
CO 13
1%
NV 12
1%
UT 12
1%
LA 12
1%
ID 11
1%
AR 10
1%
WV 10
1%
NE 7
1%
NM 6
1%
NH 6
1%
SD 6
1%