Baby Name Popularity Profile

Kenneth

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Kenneth.

✦ Handsome or born of fire 🌍 Celtic traditional royal
National Rank (2025) #294
All-Time Peak Rank #13 Achieved 1939
Total U.S. Births 1,283,974 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.9% Boy / 0.1% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1950s 28,064 births in 1957
💡 The Kenneth Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Handsome or born of fire
Language Origin Celtic
Origin Type single
Derived from two distinct Old Irish names: Cainnech (meaning 'handsome, comely') and Cináed (meaning 'born of fire'). These names became conflated in English.
Common Nicknames
Ken Kenny
Pronunciation: KEN-ith
Themes & Categories
traditional royal
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Kenneth

According to SSA data, Kenneth achieved its highest historical rank of #13 in 1939. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1957 with 28,064 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 43.5%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Kenneth across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -43.5% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 28,064 births in 1957
Years in Top 100 104 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 362
1890s: 1,298
1900s: 4,579
1910s: 43,248
1920s: 99,490
1930s: 125,111
1940s: 198,553
1950s: 262,819
1960s: 227,531
1970s: 111,489
1980s: 89,110
1990s: 58,254
2000s: 34,090
2010s: 20,213
2020s: 7,827

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Ken-neth
Letter Count 7 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 54.1% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 54.1% of SSA names. Starts with K, a letter used by only 7.8% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Kenneth.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Wyoming
Top States Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, District of Columbia
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Wyoming Unranked 2,616 1955 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 6,207 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 5,457 1950 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 5,965 1949 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia #189 7,792 1959 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 6,209 1957 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska #315 12,326 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #219 63,333 1955 18.2% Decline
Oklahoma #365 22,744 1930 51.9% Decline
Kansas #253 17,581 1956 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia #216 15,224 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #256 36,083 1947 34.9% Decline
Iowa #284 21,138 1923 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #208 27,657 1955 6.9% Decline
Vermont Unranked 2,718 1934 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #252 31,388 1947 4.0% Decline
Maine #253 6,747 1947 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #339 74,568 1957 25.6% Decline
Ohio #270 69,041 1953 28.1% Decline
Alaska #127 2,005 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #248 33,907 1956 29.8% Decline
Arkansas #280 15,353 1959 50.0% Decline
Pennsylvania #247 75,231 1957 5.8% Decline
Delaware Unranked 2,851 1960 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 4,262 1940 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #249 37,997 1960 9.5% Decline
Idaho #402 5,408 1953 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #363 24,679 1959 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #397 33,274 1947 50.0% Decline
Tennessee #294 28,794 1956 36.2% Decline
New Hampshire Unranked 4,242 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #317 12,161 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #255 24,342 1960 46.3% Decline
Maryland #359 19,948 1964 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #372 14,080 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #379 23,639 1947 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #273 36,784 1959 19.6% Decline
New York #300 98,981 1947 7.5% Decline
Washington #331 19,958 1955 8.0% Decline
Virginia #310 27,984 1963 34.1% Decline
South Carolina #307 17,879 1960 40.0% Decline
Mississippi #272 14,798 1960 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #449 13,278 1955 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #254 30,731 1960 15.5% Decline
Florida #272 34,286 1960 22.2% Decline
Utah #279 8,059 1955 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico #339 5,201 1963 Insufficient historical volume
California #350 92,166 1957 26.5% Decline
Texas #343 68,973 1956 20.7% Decline
Nevada #484 2,824 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #542 8,363 1963 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Stephen Steven Timothy Paul Michael Douglas Stanley Frankie Micheal Darrell
👧 Sister Suggestions
Diana Catherine Gwendolyn Roxanne Darlene Therese Unknown Maureen Janette Jeannie

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