The first name Kenneth
A boy’s name from Scottish Gaelic meaning “handsome”.
Pronounced /ˈkɛn.əθ/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Scottish Gaelic origin
Kenneth means “handsome” in Scottish Gaelic.
Anglicized form of two Goidelic names, Old Irish Cináed, the name of Scottish kings derived from Pictish *ᚉᚔᚅᚔᚑᚇ (Ciniod), and the saint's name Cainnech (literally “handsome”) (modern Scottish Gaelic Coinneach), as in the surname Mackenzie.
More names that mean beauty.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 30 boys were named Kenneth, making it the 1,007th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 69 births (#345).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kenneth with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Kenneth at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,148 boys born in the United States were named Kenneth, the 294th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1957, when 28,064 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Kenneth in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Kenneth in Portuguese and Spanish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Kenneth
261 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- John Kenneth GalbraithCanadian-American economist and diplomat (1908–2006)
- Kenneth KaundaFirst president of Zambia (1924–2021)
- Kenneth ArrowAmerican economist (1921–2017)
- Kenneth BranaghBritish actor and filmmaker (born 1960)
- Kenneth GrahameBritish novelist, 1859–1932
- Kenneth II of Scotland10th-century King of Alba (Scotland), 932–995
- Kenneth ClarkEnglish art historian, museum director, and broadcaster (1903–1983)
- Kenneth WaltzAmerican political scientist and international relations theoretician (1924-2013)
- Kenneth E. IversonCanadian computer scientist (1920–2004)
- Kenneth LonerganAmerican film director, playwright, and screenwriter, born 1962
- Kenneth AngerAmerican filmmaker (1927–2023)
- Kenneth TaylorDutch association football player (born 2002)
More Scottish Gaelic boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Kenneth mean?
- Kenneth means “handsome” in Scottish Gaelic.
- What is the origin of the name Kenneth?
- Anglicized form of two Goidelic names, Old Irish Cináed, the name of Scottish kings derived from Pictish *ᚉᚔᚅᚔᚑᚇ (Ciniod), and the saint's name Cainnech (literally “handsome”) (modern Scottish Gaelic Coinneach), as in the surname Mackenzie.
- How popular is the name Kenneth?
- In 2025, 30 boys born in England and Wales were named Kenneth, ranking 1,007th. Its peak was 1996, with 69 births.
- What are nicknames for Kenneth?
- Common nicknames for Kenneth include Ken, Kenny, Kendra.
- Is Kenneth a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,289,312 US babies named Kenneth since 1880 were boys.
- When was Kenneth most popular?
- 1957 in the United States, when 28,064 babies were named Kenneth, its highest rank at 14th.
- How do you pronounce Kenneth?
- Kenneth is /ˈkɛn.əθ/, 2 syllables.
- Is Kenneth also a surname?
- Yes. Kenneth is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.