Kenneth Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Kenneth is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, meaning 'handsome' or 'born of fire.' It evolved from the Old Gaelic forms Coinneach and Cinaed. The name has historical significance due to its association with Scottish royalty. It does not have biblical roots, and its popularity surged in the Middle Ages. Variants like Ken and Kenny are commonly used today. Currently, Kenneth is viewed as a classic, strong name, associated with notable individuals.
The name Kenneth is most popular in Wyoming, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Silent Generation generation in the MidWest region. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is declining in usage, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been gradually declining. From 2020-2022, Kenneth has been falling for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, falling for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, falling for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been falling for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, falling for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, falling for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Kenneth' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 23rd out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 14th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 15th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 25th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 54th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 118th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 230th out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 1305th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 1000th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 1182nd out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 1317th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 2323rd out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 12937th out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 24576th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Kenneth' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Kenneth"
Pronunciation
/ˈkɛnəθ/
Origin
Scottish Gaelic
Etymology
The name Kenneth is derived from the Gaelic name 'Coinneach,' which means 'handsome' or 'born of fire.' It has also been associated with the Old Gaelic 'Cinaed,' meaning 'fire-born.'
Meaning
handsome, born of fire
Language Evolution
Coinneach (Old Gaelic), Cinaed (Old Gaelic), Kenneth (Modern English)
Historical Usage
The name Kenneth gained popularity in Scotland during the Middle Ages, particularly due to its association with several Scottish kings, notably Kenneth MacAlpin, who is considered the first King of Scots.
Variants & Derivatives
Ken, Kenny, Kendall
Modern Popularity & Image
Kenneth is perceived as a classic and strong name, often associated with reliability and leadership. It remains moderately popular in various English-speaking countries.
Famous People
Kenneth Branagh (actor and director), Kenneth Clarke (politician), Kenneth Lonergan (screenwriter and director)
Explore More Kenneth Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Kenneth"
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 "Kenneth"
"Kenneth" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 23rd of 7545 | 125,030 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 14th of 6773 | 251,904 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 15th of 7552 | 485,701 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 25th of 10718 | 219,506 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 54th of 16616 | 124,234 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 118th of 24088 | 54,488 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 230th of 23106 | 20,006 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 1305th of 9107 | 627 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 1000th of 9204 | 980 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 1182nd of 12526 | 1,459 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 1317th of 19264 | 1,351 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 2323rd of 27321 | 806 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 12937th of 35406 | 103 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 24576th of 30306 | 12 |
Regional Popularity of "Kenneth" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
1.06% 15th/1416 |
2.18% 30th/1379 |
1.82% 43rd/2366 |
1.49% 17th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
0.71% 11th/1546 |
1.16% 18th/1556 |
0.76% 18th/2353 |
0.97% 15th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
0.81% 18th/2227 |
0.78% 19th/2430 |
0.39% 11th/2853 |
0.54% 15th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
1.06% 31st/2937 |
0.83% 29th/3483 |
0.65% 23rd/3518 |
0.74% 30th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
1.49% 55th/3685 |
1.09% 49th/4475 |
0.92% 48th/5194 |
0.97% 61st/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
2.88% 132nd/4582 |
2.09% 108th/5164 |
1.42% 104th/7313 |
2.10% 157th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
5.80% 231st/3984 |
4.97% 223rd/4487 |
2.92% 199th/6822 |
4.38% 275th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Kenneth" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
65.61% 929th/1416 |
73.75% 1017th/1379 |
- | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
50.45% 780th/1546 |
72.88% 1134th/1556 |
89.04% 2095th/2353 |
94.96% 1469th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
51.82% 1154th/2227 |
52.18% 1268th/2430 |
41.82% 1193rd/2853 |
51.71% 1435th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
46.65% 1370th/2937 |
41.95% 1461st/3483 |
39.28% 1382nd/3518 |
36.37% 1471st/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
64.21% 2366th/3685 |
60.20% 2694th/4475 |
43.80% 2275th/5194 |
38.50% 2432nd/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - |
87.19% 6376th/7313 |
- |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Kenneth"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Kenneth" 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.