Kennedy
Boy name · #1843 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 86 baby boys were named Kennedy, placing it at #1843 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1141, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 20,930 boys born in 2025 was named Kennedy.
Babies named Kennedy per year. Source: SSA.
The 113-year story
Kennedy first appears in the Social Security records in 1912, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1964, when 229 boys were named Kennedy — good for #516 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kennedy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kennedy in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kennedy is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kennedy will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kennedy is most common
State-level data for Kennedy is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Kennedy
Statistically, parents drawn to Kennedy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eddy, Lyndon, Freddy, Kenny, and Lenny.
EddyLyndonFreddyKennyLennyAbdulJacquesDomenico
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kennedy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 86 | #1837 |
| 2024 | 96 | #1724 |
| 2023 | 105 | #1640 |
| 2022 | 104 | #1652 |
| 2021 | 104 | #1621 |
| 2020 | 142 | #1286 |
| 2019 | 135 | #1337 |
| 2018 | 126 | #1396 |
| 2017 | 140 | #1293 |
| 2016 | 171 | #1130 |
| 2015 | 165 | #1141 |
| 2014 | 158 | #1179 |
| 2013 | 154 | #1169 |
| 2012 | 164 | #1120 |
| 2011 | 125 | #1350 |
| 2010 | 159 | #1159 |
| 2009 | 150 | #1202 |
| 2008 | 166 | #1105 |
| 2007 | 153 | #1157 |
| 2006 | 179 | #1025 |
| 2005 | 173 | #995 |
| 2004 | 183 | #925 |
| 2003 | 170 | #959 |
| 2002 | 195 | #848 |
| 2001 | 185 | #867 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kennedy a popular boy name?
Kennedy ranked #1843 among boys in 2025 with 86 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1141.
When was the name Kennedy most popular?
Kennedy peaked in 1964, when 229 American boys received the name (ranked #516 that year). Since 1964 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kennedy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 20,930 newborn American boys was named Kennedy. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.