Kenneth
Boy name · #294 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Kenneth? In official American birth records, Kenneth has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Kenneth is currently the #294 boy name in the United States — 1,148 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #198, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,568 boys born in 2025 was named Kenneth.
The 145-year story
Kenneth first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 32 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1957, when 28,064 boys were named Kenneth — good for #14 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.
Babies named Kenneth per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kenneth against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kenneth in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kenneth is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Kenneth is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kenneth is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Kenneth is most common in KY (1.3 per 1,000), MI (1.1 per 1,000), MS (1.1 per 1,000), KS (1.1 per 1,000), IN (1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.8 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Kenneth is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Kenneth
Kenneth carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Kenneth family went to about 1,339 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #259, versus #294 for Kenneth alone.
Names like Kenneth
Statistically, parents drawn to Kenneth tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Keith, Russell, Steven, Timothy, and Kevin.
KeithRussellStevenTimothyKevinStephenPaulRichard
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kenneth | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,148 | #294 |
| 2024 | 1,190 | #284 |
| 2023 | 1,321 | #262 |
| 2022 | 1,312 | #263 |
| 2021 | 1,373 | #258 |
| 2020 | 1,483 | #243 |
| 2019 | 1,623 | #233 |
| 2018 | 1,671 | #225 |
| 2017 | 1,766 | #217 |
| 2016 | 1,921 | #208 |
| 2015 | 2,033 | #198 |
| 2014 | 2,153 | #191 |
| 2013 | 2,177 | #187 |
| 2012 | 2,224 | #175 |
| 2011 | 2,217 | #170 |
| 2010 | 2,428 | #160 |
| 2009 | 2,612 | #151 |
| 2008 | 2,967 | #137 |
| 2007 | 3,108 | #135 |
| 2006 | 3,243 | #129 |
| 2005 | 3,368 | #122 |
| 2004 | 3,425 | #119 |
| 2003 | 3,643 | #111 |
| 2002 | 3,665 | #104 |
| 2001 | 3,907 | #97 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kenneth?
In official American birth records, the name Kenneth first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 32 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Kenneth a popular boy name?
Kenneth ranked #294 among boys in 2025 with 1,148 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #198.
When was the name Kenneth most popular?
Kenneth peaked in 1957, when 28,064 American boys received the name (ranked #14 that year). Since 1957 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kenneth?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,568 newborn American boys was named Kenneth. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.