Kenneth is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Kenneth means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Kenneth across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Kenneth has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Kenneth is a boy name of Scottish (Gaelic) origin meaning “handsome, born of fire”. anglicised from Cainnech and Cináed.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,289,312 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 1,109 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 5,030 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 26 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 6,543 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 3,240 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Kenneth per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1957 (28,145/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1975 (387/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1974 (346/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (69/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (7/yr).
Kenneth has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1957, when it ranked #23 nationally (given to 28,145 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Kennith · Gwyneth · Kennth · Kennetha · Kenith · Keneth · Kennieth · Kinneth
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