Where does the name Kenneth come from?

Kenneth is a boy name of Scottish Gaelic origin.

Is Kenneth a boy or a girl name?

Kenneth is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Kenneth are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Kenneth in 2023?

Kenneth ranks #262 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1957 with 28,145 babies.

How do you pronounce Kenneth?

Kenneth is pronounced KEN-neth (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Kenneth?

Kenneth is also written as Kenny, Cinaed, Coinneach.

A name from Scottish Gaelic · Boy

Kenneth

Anglicized from two distinct Gaelic names: Coinneach, "handsome, comely," and Cinaed, "born of fire." Cinaed mac Ailpín (Kenneth I, 9th c.) was the first king of a united Scotland.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

1,281,636 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,321 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

KAnglicized from two distinct Gaelic names: Coinneach, "handsome, comely," and Cinaed, "born of fire." Cinaed mac Ailpín (Kenneth I, 9th c.) was the first king of a united Scotland.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Kenneth".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Kenny Most common Cinaed Coinneach

Quick answers

People often ask about Kenneth.

What does the name Kenneth mean?: Kenneth means anglicized from two distinct Gaelic names: Coinneach, "handsome, comely," and Cinaed, "born of fire." Cinaed mac Ailpín (Kenneth I, 9th c.) was the first king of a united Scotland.
Where does the name Kenneth come from?: Kenneth is a boy name of Scottish Gaelic origin.
Is Kenneth a boy or a girl name?: Kenneth is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Kenneth are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Kenneth in 2023?: Kenneth ranks #262 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1957 with 28,145 babies.
How do you pronounce Kenneth?: Kenneth is pronounced KEN-neth (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Kenneth?: Kenneth is also written as Kenny, Cinaed, Coinneach.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.