Kenneth
Kenneth is a girl's name of Greek origin.
Meaning
Handsome or born of fire.
Origin and history
Kenneth is traditionally a masculine name derived from the Gaelic names Coinneach and Cináed, meaning 'handsome' or 'born of fire'. Although predominantly used for males, it has recorded rare historical usage for females in the United States, mostly in the early-to-mid 20th century. It is currently unranked for girls in contemporary U.S. birth data.
Popularity in the United States
5,338 babies in the United States have been named Kenneth since 1880. It ranks #2362 all-time.
States where it is most popular
- CA (19 %)
- IL (12.6 %)
- TX (11.9 %)
- NY (10.8 %)
- OH (6.3 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 12 |
| 1910-1920 | 203 |
| 1920-1930 | 578 |
| 1930-1940 | 522 |
| 1940-1950 | 522 |
| 1950-1960 | 716 |
| 1960-1970 | 1,025 |
| 1970-1980 | 758 |
| 1980-1990 | 731 |
| 1990-2000 | 189 |
| 2000-2010 | 65 |
| 2010-2019 | 17 |
| 2020-2029 | 0 |
Nicknames
Ken, Kenny
Fun facts
- The name merges two distinct Gaelic names: Coinneach (meaning handsome) and Cináed (meaning born of fire).
- Over 5,000 females in the U.S. have been named Kenneth since 1880, peaking in the mid-20th century.