Kenneth
A boys’ name of Scottish Gaelic origin, meaning handsome, fair.
How Kenneth has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #199 |
| 2016 | #208 |
| 2017 | #218 |
| 2018 | #225 |
| 2019 | #234 |
| 2020 | #243 |
| 2021 | #258 |
| 2022 | #264 |
| 2023 | #262 |
| 2024 | #284 |
| 2025 | #294 |
Kenneth by the numbers
In 2025, 30 babies in England and Wales were named Kenneth. In the US, 1,751 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given several times more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 28,035 babies in 1957, so it is a 1950s name that has since fallen a long way.
At its height, in 1945, about 1 in 76 American boys born that year was called Kenneth.
Names that come from Kenneth
Forms of Kenneth in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Mckenzieson of Kenneth; a form of Mackenzie1,665 in the US (2017)
- Kennahandsome; from Kenneth403 in the US (2017)
- Kennyhandsome; diminutive of Kenneth222 in the US (2017)
- Kenknowledge; a form of Kenneth63 in the US (2017)
- Mckynleeson of Kenneth; a modern respelling of Mackenzie43 in the US (2017)
- Mackenzison of Kenneth; modern spelling of Mackenzie29 in the US (2017)
- Mckynzieson of Kenneth; modern spelling of Mackenzie29 in the US (2017)
- Kennisonson of Kenneth; a form of Kennison10 in the US (2017)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Kenneth. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Other names that mean beauty
Like Kenneth, each of these has beauty in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Kevinhandsome at birth3,813 in the US (2017)
- Finleyfair-haired warrior1,733 in England and Wales (2025)
- Mackenzieson of the fair one; surname used as given name2,976 in the US (2017)
- Jadejade stone; symbol of virtue and beauty2,765 in the US (2017)
- Beauhandsome487 in England and Wales (2025)
- Alanfair or handsome2,441 in the US (2017)
Names about as common as Kenneth
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