Kenneth

“Handsome, comely” — Scottish Gaelic origin

Boy's name · #294 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Kenneth has appeared in US records since 1880 — best rank #13 (1939) · 1,283,974 babies named Kenneth all-time · 1 in 1,500 boys born in 2025.

Around the world: about 1 in 3,100 boys in Canada (2024) · about 1 in 3,300 boys in Scotland (2025) · about 1 in 9,100 boys in England & Wales (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 45 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Kenneths

Kenneth Kaunda — First president of Zambia (1924–2021)
Kenneth Arrow — American economist (1921–2017)
Kenneth Branagh — British actor and filmmaker (born 1960)
Kenneth G. Wilson — Nobel prize winning US physicist
Kenneth MacAlpin — King of the Picts

In stories & tradition

Kenneth (Warren Worthington III) — Uncanny X-Men · X-Factor
Kenneth Widmerpool — A Dance to the Music of Time
Kenneth Baker — Metal Gear

What Kenneths become

Among 3,580 notable people named Kenneth:

Scientists & scholars appear 1.66× more often than among typical names — e.g. Kenneth Arrow, American economist (1921–2017).

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