Ken

Last seen for girls in 1990 at #12,958 · #3,240 for boys in 2025, 36 births
Given to boys 99.9% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1960 · 1,775 births
Debut · boys
7 births
In top 100 · boys
never
of 146 years
Total births · boys
33,013
since 1900

Ken over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Ken has never cracked the top 100 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201949peak #177, 1960boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#3,24036
2024—#3,27236
2023—#3,22837
2022—#2,64850
2021—#2,52352
2020—#2,36656
2019—#2,55651
2018—#2,21062
2017—#2,15463
2016—#1,72490
2015—#1,75387
2014—#1,76685
2013—#1,87875
2012—#1,498107
2011—#1,68788
2010—#2,01068
2009—#1,562104
2008—#1,504108
2007—#1,376120
2006—#1,239135
2005—#1,302117
2004—#1,053153
2003—#1,282110
2002—#1,094134
2001—#1,129124
2000—#1,128123
1999—#1,114119
1998—#1,189104
1997—#1,016125
1996—#1,030119
1995—#987126
1994—#1,053112
1993—#1,097104
1992—#1,029113
1991—#939127
1990#12,9585#857142
1989—#856138
1988—#907111
1987—#829126
1986—#901102
1985—#845113
1984—#811116
1983—#856105
1982—#760134
1981—#717145
1980—#739141
1979—#794119
1978—#717137
1977—#762124
1976—#715137
1975#9,0675#659156
1974—#564202
1973—#513232
1972—#464287
1971—#424363
1970#7,9955#368486
1969—#356494
1968—#305601
1967—#284650
1966—#252820
1965—#2181,100
1964—#1921,475
1963—#1781,634
1962#6,5785#1811,684
1961#6,5675#1881,665
1960#6,3905#1771,775
1959—#1821,653
1958—#1851,533
1957—#2211,178
1956—#285657
1955—#345439
1954—#367370
1953—#394317
1952—#382321
1951—#395296
1950—#362347
1949—#320456
1948—#261622
1947—#247707
1946—#227684
1945—#272479
1944—#287427
1943—#294444
1942—#302407
1941—#312345
1940—#326303
1939—#335276
1938—#349252
1937—#385203
1936—#376211
1935—#435167
1934—#457152
1933—#550108
1932—#511127
1931—#60595
1930—#71876
1929—#87857
1928—#1,22834
1927—#1,01248
1926—#91654
1925—#1,12139
1924—#1,24634
1923—#1,32230
1922—#1,36729
1921—#1,58823
1920—#1,27332
1919—#1,75219
1918—#1,90517
1917—#1,58721
1916—#1,77117
1915—#1,55320
1914—#1,97511
1913—#1,80310
1912—#1,26814
1911—#1,5376
1910—#1,5895
1909——
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1900—#1,0507
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First appearance
1900

The first year at least five boys were named Ken! It came in at #1,050, and was given to 7 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1901–1910, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.

Where Ken is popular in 1949

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedNHWashington: #150 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 1,071 boysWAIdaho: #199 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,342 boysIDMontana: #133 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 792 boysMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #323 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 6,988 boysMNIllinois: #234 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 2,846 boysILWisconsin: #278 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 5,596 boysWIMichigan: #232 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 3,163 boysMINew York: #443 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 10,659 boysNYMassachusetts: #289 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 9,445 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedRIOregon: #138 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 901 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedSDIowa: #216 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 2,279 boysIAIndiana: #238 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 2,797 boysINOhio: #241 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 3,261 boysOHPennsylvania: #373 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 9,847 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #191 for boys · 82 births · 1 in 1,468 boysCAUtah: #197 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,375 boysUTColorado: #247 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 2,244 boysCONebraska: #186 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,438 boysNEMissouri: #314 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 4,605 boysMOKentucky: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedWVVirginia: #438 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 7,365 boysVAMaryland: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedNMKansas: #310 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 3,955 boysKSArkansas: #362 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 4,525 boysARTennessee: #297 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 3,552 boysTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #284 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,910 boysOKLouisiana: #365 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 3,872 boysLAMississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 boys named Ken, so not publishedALGeorgia: #404 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 6,269 boysGAHawaii: #180 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,019 boysHITexas: #374 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 3,351 boysTXFlorida: #417 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 5,835 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Montana#133 · 1 in 792
  2. Oregon#138 · 1 in 901
  3. Washington#150 · 1 in 1,071
  4. Hawaii#180 · 1 in 1,019
  5. Nebraska#186 · 1 in 1,438

Best ever in a state: #81 in Montana, 1959.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Montana#13381 in 792
Oregon#138181 in 901
Washington#150251 in 1,071
Hawaii#18061 in 1,019
Nebraska#186101 in 1,438
California#191821 in 1,468
Utah#19771 in 1,375
Idaho#19951 in 1,342
Iowa#216131 in 2,279
Michigan#232241 in 3,163
Illinois#234321 in 2,846
Indiana#238161 in 2,797
Ohio#241281 in 3,261
Colorado#24771 in 2,244
Wisconsin#27871 in 5,596
Oklahoma#28481 in 2,910
Massachusetts#28951 in 9,445
Tennessee#297111 in 3,552
Kansas#31051 in 3,955
Missouri#31491 in 4,605
Minnesota#32351 in 6,988
Arkansas#36251 in 4,525
Louisiana#36591 in 3,872
Pennsylvania#373111 in 9,847
Texas#374301 in 3,351
Georgia#40471 in 6,269
Florida#41751 in 5,835
Virginia#43851 in 7,365
New York#443141 in 10,659
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Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Kentucky———
Maine———
Maryland———
Mississippi———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
North Carolina———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Ken
Momentum · boys
Falling
  • 32 spots since 2024 (#3,272 → #3,240)
  • 874 spots since 2020 (#2,366 → #3,240)
  • 1,487 spots since 2015 (#1,753 → #3,240)
  • Biggest jump: 350 spots in 1929 (#1,228 → #878)
  • Biggest drop: 96 spots in 1927 (#916 → #1,012)
Rise & fade · boys
60 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1900
  • Peaked 1960 at #177 (1,775 births)
  • Births halved by 1966, 6 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 65 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 65 yrs · run 1929–1991
Share of babies · boys
1 in 1,201
  • Highest: 1 in 1,201 boys born in 1960 were named Ken (0.08%)
  • Latest: 1 in 47,447 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · boys
The 1960s
  • 36.0% of all boys named Ken (11,898) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1900s7#1,050 (1900)#1,050
1910s140#1,268 (1912)#1,674
1920s380#878 (1929)#1,195
1930s1,667#335 (1939)#472
1940s4,874#227 (1946)#285
1950s7,111#182 (1959)#312
1960s11,898#177 (1960)#233
1970s2,243#368 (1970)#598
1980s1,231#717 (1981)#822
1990s1,191#857 (1990)#1,031
2000s1,228#1,053 (2004)#1,267
2010s776#1,498 (2012)#1,924
2020s267#2,366 (2020)#2,880

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Ken in 1949

boys
#320
456 births · 1 in 3,890 boys

Top boys' names in 1949

  1. #1James86,858
  2. #2Robert83,873
  3. #3John81,178
  4. #4William61,506
  5. #5Michael60,047
  6. #6David59,611
  7. #7Richard50,946
  8. #8Thomas45,192
  9. #9Charles40,052
  10. #10Larry31,819
  11. #320Ken456
More about 1949

boys

1,773,939 boys got a published name in 1949; 1 in 3,890 of them was named Ken, which outranked 92.4% of the 4,205 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.9% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Ken
  1. #316Todd461
  2. #318Forrest459
  3. #319Ivan458
  4. #320Ken456
  5. #320Andy456
  6. #320Grady456
  7. #323Ervin454
  8. #324Randal450
  9. #325Cary447

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1948
Risers
  1. ↑ 538Lannie#1,107 → #569
  2. ↑ 411Lenwood#1,296 → #885
  3. ↑ 338Robby#1,296 → #958
  4. ↑ 326Ocie#1,323 → #997
  5. ↑ 319Denzil#1,127 → #808
Fallers
  1. ↓ 473Loyal#989 → #1,462
  2. ↓ 446Rich#963 → #1,409
  3. ↓ 395Brock#733 → #1,128
  4. ↓ 376Baron#972 → #1,348
  5. ↓ 333Murry#989 → #1,322

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1949 →