Kenley Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Kenley has its origins in Old English, meaning 'brave meadow'. It evolved from historical forms like Cenleah and Kenleah. The name carries traits of strength and natural beauty, with no specific biblical relevance. It gained popularity in the 20th century and is perceived positively today.
The name Kenley is most popular in North Dakota, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Girl name among the Generation Alpha generation in the MidWest region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Kenley has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, falling for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, falling for female in South, stalled for male in West, falling for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Kenley' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 7545th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 4152nd out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 4074th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 3060th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 4069th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 3796th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 4556th out of 23106 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 14367th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 7807th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 1099th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 917th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Kenley' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Kenley"
Pronunciation
/ˈkɛnli/
Origin
Old English
Etymology
The name Kenley is derived from Old English elements 'cen' meaning 'royal' or 'brave' and 'leah' meaning 'clearing' or 'meadow'.
Meaning
Brave meadow
Language Evolution
Cenleah, Kenleah, Kenley
Historical Usage
Kenley gained popularity as a given name in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries, and has been used in various forms since then.
Variants & Derivatives
Ken, Kenny, Kenna
Modern Popularity & Image
Currently, Kenley is perceived as a modern and trendy name, often associated with a sense of strength and nature.
Famous People
Kenley Jansen - Professional baseball player, Kenley Adams - Notable figure in community service
Explore More Kenley Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Kenley"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Kenley"
"Kenley" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 7545th of 7545 | 5 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 4152nd of 6773 | 50 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 4074th of 7552 | 67 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 3060th of 10718 | 176 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 4069th of 16616 | 197 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 3796th of 24088 | 385 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 4556th of 23106 | 263 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 14367th of 19264 | 16 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 7807th of 27321 | 145 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 1099th of 35406 | 3,462 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 917th of 30306 | 3,540 |
Regional Popularity of "Kenley" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
70.70% 1093rd/1546 |
- | - |
73.11% 1131st/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- |
60.24% 2098th/3483 |
- | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - |
67.60% 3511th/5194 |
- |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - |
40.50% 2962nd/7313 |
- |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - |
42.01% 2866th/6822 |
71.13% 4464th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Kenley" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - |
94.19% 4892nd/5194 |
- |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
18.18% 833rd/4582 |
34.06% 1759th/5164 |
11.13% 814th/7313 |
21.88% 1633rd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
18.10% 721st/3984 |
26.28% 1179th/4487 |
12.47% 851st/6822 |
19.73% 1238th/6276 |
State-by-State Popularity of "Kenley"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Kenley" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.