Kenneth

Last seen for girls in 2019 at #12,448 · #294 for boys in 2025, 1,148 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
#13
1939 · 14,715 births
Debut · boys
1880
32 births
In top 100 · boys
104 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
1,283,974
since 1880

Kenneth over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201979peak #13, 1939boys
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—#2941,148
2024—#2841,190
2023—#2621,321
2022—#2631,312
2021—#2581,373
2020—#2431,483
2019#12,4487#2331,623
2018—#2251,671
2017—#2171,766
2016#16,2155#2081,921
2015—#1982,033
2014—#1912,153
2013—#1872,177
2012—#1752,224
2011—#1702,217
2010#16,9925#1602,428
2009—#1512,612
2008#15,4056#1372,967
2007#17,6365#1353,108
2006#11,4179#1293,243
2005#13,0107#1223,368
2004#6,76817#1193,425
2003#10,4259#1113,643
2002—#1043,665
2001#13,5216#973,907
2000#13,1546#944,152
1999#9,4799#894,285
1998#9,2609#874,586
1997#6,16315#834,659
1996#7,57411#774,973
1995#5,95815#725,226
1994#5,71316#655,679
1993#3,87727#606,276
1992#4,52822#596,732
1991#3,93626#547,576
1990#2,90039#528,262
1989#3,04535#538,555
1988#1,80269#518,567
1987#1,59178#538,354
1986#1,42090#508,453
1985#1,85660#478,992
1984#1,36886#468,790
1983#1,44780#458,965
1982#1,68467#459,354
1981#1,43385#419,472
1980#1,48281#419,608
1979#1,66167#419,236
1978#1,61466#419,021
1977#1,49873#399,452
1976#1,40675#389,127
1975#1,58662#359,634
1974#1,53263#3410,143
1973#1,15195#2810,979
1972#1,30378#2712,334
1971#1,42773#2514,763
1970#1,108106#2516,800
1969#1,066106#2317,553
1968#1,09994#2318,077
1967#1,04697#2219,263
1966#1,011104#2120,834
1965#982111#2122,677
1964#932127#1824,850
1963#1,12694#1825,235
1962#978119#1825,241
1961#1,23280#1626,100
1960#1,12693#1627,701
1959#1,005110#1526,640
1958#1,028103#1426,684
1957#1,17381#1428,064
1956#1,22872#1627,432
1955#1,19770#1526,743
1954#1,27860#1726,186
1953#1,33253#1725,507
1952#1,19563#1625,909
1951#1,19061#1625,841
1950#1,39643#1523,813
1949#1,15462#1523,589
1948#1,15760#1523,550
1947#1,22854#1524,586
1946#1,16554#1522,042
1945#1,15546#1618,096
1944#1,11549#1618,093
1943#1,10353#1519,112
1942#1,00660#1518,210
1941#1,41830#1516,143
1940#97154#1515,132
1939#1,07944#1314,715
1938#99251#1414,399
1937#1,19636#1413,219
1936#1,23034#1412,486
1935#1,08441#1512,067
1934#99348#1511,800
1933#98549#1511,410
1932#91359#1411,742
1931#78474#1411,568
1930#75586#1711,705
1929#74289#1810,841
1928#82177#1711,167
1927#81780#1810,848
1926#87971#1810,342
1925#1,07450#1910,146
1924#1,15146#1910,355
1923#1,03753#219,734
1922#1,19042#219,258
1921#1,37434#228,959
1920#1,28236#237,840
1919#1,39331#266,796
1918#1,12643#276,809
1917#1,40228#276,141
1916#1,33230#276,012
1915#1,47524#285,681
1914#1,38521#304,178
1913#1,52815#333,065
1912#1,71911#332,538
1911—#401,148
1910—#43880
1909#1,9576#41746
1908—#40692
1907—#47589
1906—#45534
1905—#52474
1904#1,6596#57414
1903—#67330
1902—#78275
1901—#78246
1900—#90279
1899—#87214
1898—#100191
1897—#105164
1896—#106175
1895—#131127
1894—#144105
1893—#17283
1892—#157102
1891—#19165
1890—#18672
1889—#19766
1888—#26245
1887—#27235
1886—#27538
1885—#25841
1884—#33128
1883—#32426
1882—#37722
1881—#29629
1880—#29132
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Kenneth was already there! It came in at #291, and was given to 32 baby boys.

Quietest stretch: 1880–1884, when fewer than 33 boys a year got the name.

Where Kenneth is popular in 1979

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #45 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 147 boysAKMaine: #66 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 298 boysMEVermont: #55 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 192 boysVTNew Hampshire: #47 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 163 boysNHWashington: #45 for boys · 156 births · 1 in 190 boysWAIdaho: #52 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 196 boysIDMontana: #66 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 242 boysMTNorth Dakota: #88 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 425 boysNDMinnesota: #64 for boys · 108 births · 1 in 288 boysMNIllinois: #39 for boys · 492 births · 1 in 170 boysILWisconsin: #54 for boys · 143 births · 1 in 241 boysWIMichigan: #38 for boys · 460 births · 1 in 146 boysMINew York: #40 for boys · 634 births · 1 in 175 boysNYMassachusetts: #45 for boys · 147 births · 1 in 231 boysMARhode Island: #37 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 123 boysRIOregon: #50 for boys · 90 births · 1 in 215 boysORNevada: #37 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 124 boysNVWyoming: #51 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 178 boysWYSouth Dakota: #68 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 280 boysSDIowa: #65 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 300 boysIAIndiana: #45 for boys · 216 births · 1 in 190 boysINOhio: #44 for boys · 449 births · 1 in 179 boysOHPennsylvania: #42 for boys · 433 births · 1 in 176 boysPANew Jersey: #36 for boys · 292 births · 1 in 145 boysNJConnecticut: #40 for boys · 106 births · 1 in 163 boysCTCalifornia: #46 for boys · 824 births · 1 in 218 boysCAUtah: #58 for boys · 82 births · 1 in 232 boysUTColorado: #47 for boys · 106 births · 1 in 205 boysCONebraska: #57 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 221 boysNEMissouri: #45 for boys · 211 births · 1 in 174 boysMOKentucky: #41 for boys · 171 births · 1 in 165 boysKYWest Virginia: #44 for boys · 83 births · 1 in 167 boysWVVirginia: #33 for boys · 266 births · 1 in 125 boysVAMaryland: #33 for boys · 187 births · 1 in 121 boysMDDelaware: #36 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 143 boysDEArizona: #55 for boys · 85 births · 1 in 246 boysAZNew Mexico: #62 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 270 boysNMKansas: #47 for boys · 82 births · 1 in 205 boysKSArkansas: #39 for boys · 97 births · 1 in 164 boysARTennessee: #34 for boys · 229 births · 1 in 143 boysTNNorth Carolina: #28 for boys · 325 births · 1 in 116 boysNCSouth Carolina: #26 for boys · 169 births · 1 in 125 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #24 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 111 boysDCOklahoma: #44 for boys · 128 births · 1 in 167 boysOKLouisiana: #30 for boys · 254 births · 1 in 137 boysLAMississippi: #27 for boys · 150 births · 1 in 126 boysMSAlabama: #29 for boys · 212 births · 1 in 127 boysALGeorgia: #33 for boys · 278 births · 1 in 141 boysGAHawaii: #58 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 258 boysHITexas: #41 for boys · 598 births · 1 in 206 boysTXFlorida: #34 for boys · 384 births · 1 in 143 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. District of Columbia#24 · 1 in 111
  2. South Carolina#26 · 1 in 125
  3. Mississippi#27 · 1 in 126
  4. North Carolina#28 · 1 in 116
  5. Alabama#29 · 1 in 127

Best ever in a state: #6 in Utah, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
District of Columbia#24711 in 111
South Carolina#261691 in 125
Mississippi#271501 in 126
North Carolina#283251 in 116
Alabama#292121 in 127
Louisiana#302541 in 137
Georgia#332781 in 141
Maryland#331871 in 121
Virginia#332661 in 125
Florida#343841 in 143
Tennessee#342291 in 143
Delaware#36261 in 143
New Jersey#362921 in 145
Nevada#37401 in 124
Rhode Island#37431 in 123
Michigan#384601 in 146
Arkansas#39971 in 164
Illinois#394921 in 170
Connecticut#401061 in 163
New York#406341 in 175
Kentucky#411711 in 165
Texas#415981 in 206
Pennsylvania#424331 in 176
Ohio#444491 in 179
Oklahoma#441281 in 167
West Virginia#44831 in 167
Alaska#45241 in 147
Indiana#452161 in 190
Massachusetts#451471 in 231
Missouri#452111 in 174
Washington#451561 in 190
California#468241 in 218
Colorado#471061 in 205
Kansas#47821 in 205
New Hampshire#47351 in 163
Oregon#50901 in 215
Wyoming#51201 in 178
Idaho#52431 in 196
Wisconsin#541431 in 241
Arizona#55851 in 246
Vermont#55161 in 192
Nebraska#57541 in 221
Hawaii#58251 in 258
Utah#58821 in 232
New Mexico#62381 in 270
Minnesota#641081 in 288
Iowa#65741 in 300
Maine#66241 in 298
Montana#66241 in 242
South Dakota#68191 in 280
North Dakota#88131 in 425

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 Kenneth
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 10 spots since 2024 (#284 → #294)
  • 51 spots since 2020 (#243 → #294)
  • 96 spots since 2015 (#198 → #294)
  • Biggest jump: 73 spots in 1885 (#331 → #258)
  • Biggest drop: 81 spots in 1882 (#296 → #377)
Rise & fade · boys
59 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1939 at #13 (14,715 births)
  • Births halved by 1992, 53 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 104 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 104 yrs · run 1898–2001
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 73
  • Highest: 1 in 73 boys born in 1951 were named Kenneth (1.4%)
  • Latest: 1 in 1,488 boys born in 2025 (0.07%)
  • Its best rank, #13 in 1939, was only 1 in 75 (1.3%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1950s
  • 20.5% of all boys named Kenneth (262,819) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s362#197 (1889)#288
1890s1,298#87 (1899)#138
1900s4,579#40 (1908)#60
1910s43,248#26 (1919)#31
1920s99,490#17 (1928)#20
1930s125,111#13 (1939)#15
1940s198,553#15 (1947)#15
1950s262,819#14 (1957)#16
1960s227,531#16 (1960)#20
1970s111,489#25 (1970)#33
1980s89,110#41 (1980)#47
1990s58,254#52 (1990)#70
2000s34,090#94 (2000)#120
2010s20,213#160 (2010)#196
2020s7,827#243 (2020)#267

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.

Kenneth in 1979

girls
#1,661
67 births · 1 in 23,959 girls
boys
#41
9,236 births · 1 in 186 boys

Top girls' names in 1979

  1. #1Jennifer56,712
  2. #2Melissa34,050
  3. #3Amanda31,924
  4. #4Jessica27,780
  5. #5Amy21,609
  6. #6Sarah21,015
  7. #7Heather20,834
  8. #8Angela20,256
  9. #9Nicole19,510
  10. #10Michelle19,266
  11. #1,661Kenneth67

Top boys' names in 1979

  1. #1Michael67,713
  2. #2Christopher50,659
  3. #3Jason50,369
  4. #4David42,053
  5. #5James39,351
  6. #6Matthew35,621
  7. #7John35,410
  8. #8Robert34,015
  9. #9Joshua31,120
  10. #10Brian28,659
  11. #41Kenneth9,236
More about 1979

girls

1,605,268 girls got a published name in 1979; 1 in 23,959 of them was named Kenneth, which outranked 86.1% of the 11,972 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Kenneth
  1. #1,645Towanda68
  2. #1,645Verna68
  3. #1,645Xochitl68
  4. #1,661Kenneth67
  5. #1,661Autum67
  6. #1,661Billy67
  7. #1,661Collette67
  8. #1,678Brieanna66
  9. #1,678Candie66
  10. #1,678Chasidy66

Tied with 16 names at #1,661; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,593Breanne#2,125 → #532
  2. ↑ 1,527Loni#2,516 → #989
  3. ↑ 1,287Renata#2,012 → #725
  4. ↑ 985Ashanti#1,862 → #877
  5. ↑ 896Nicolette#1,581 → #685
Fallers
  1. ↓ 392Christel#762 → #1,154
  2. ↓ 312Kenisha#557 → #869
  3. ↓ 297Ariane#887 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 285Imelda#947 → #1,232
  5. ↓ 252Farrah#539 → #791

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

boys

1,721,536 boys got a published name in 1979; 1 in 186 of them was named Kenneth, which outranked 99.4% of the 7,071 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Kenneth
  1. #38Chad10,161
  2. #39Patrick9,979
  3. #40Stephen9,903
  4. #41Kenneth9,236
  5. #42Gregory9,109
  6. #43Shawn7,910
  7. #44Jose7,848
Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,228Tyrel#2,134 → #906
  2. ↑ 471Jace#1,186 → #715
  3. ↑ 387Chaz#1,371 → #984
  4. ↑ 311Tyrell#1,051 → #740
  5. ↑ 308Frederic#1,203 → #895
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,230Dequan#927 → #2,157
  2. ↓ 641Rahsaan#869 → #1,510
  3. ↓ 446Chip#989 → #1,435
  4. ↓ 308Rashaun#996 → #1,304
  5. ↓ 307Kenya#749 → #1,056

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

See the top 100 for 1979 →