Kenya
Girl name · #2494 in 2025 · Uniqueness 90/100
In 2025, 71 baby girls were named Kenya, placing it at #2494 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #892, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 25,352 girls born in 2025 was named Kenya.
The 73-year story
Kenya first appears in the Social Security records in 1952, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1973, when 894 girls were named Kenya — good for #275 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 Kenya per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kenya against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kenya in class?
Kenya scores 90 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Kenya will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kenya is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kenya is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kenyas were FL (7), TX (7), CA (6), AZ (5), VA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kenya
Statistically, parents drawn to Kenya tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Tanya, Keysha, Adria, Rana, and Suzanna.
TanyaKeyshaAdriaRanaSuzannaKeishaMirnaEricka
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kenya | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 71 | #2485 |
| 2024 | 124 | #1657 |
| 2023 | 135 | #1569 |
| 2022 | 166 | #1381 |
| 2021 | 162 | #1364 |
| 2020 | 190 | #1206 |
| 2019 | 228 | #1092 |
| 2018 | 242 | #1057 |
| 2017 | 275 | #964 |
| 2016 | 326 | #863 |
| 2015 | 309 | #892 |
| 2014 | 403 | #700 |
| 2013 | 469 | #602 |
| 2012 | 569 | #534 |
| 2011 | 337 | #802 |
| 2010 | 395 | #715 |
| 2009 | 478 | #629 |
| 2008 | 570 | #540 |
| 2007 | 587 | #534 |
| 2006 | 578 | #523 |
| 2005 | 466 | #610 |
| 2004 | 432 | #631 |
| 2003 | 475 | #581 |
| 2002 | 493 | #553 |
| 2001 | 466 | #559 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kenya a popular girl name?
Kenya ranked #2494 among girls in 2025 with 71 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #892.
When was the name Kenya most popular?
Kenya peaked in 1973, when 894 American girls received the name (ranked #275 that year). Since 1973 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kenya?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 25,352 newborn American girls was named Kenya. It scores 90/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "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.