Brendan vs Kenneth
Brendan and Kennethcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1977, Brendan was ranked #51 and Kenneth #99 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1981, Brendan was ranked #70 and Kenneth #88 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Brendan was ranked #138 and Kenneth #315 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Brendan was ranked #394 and Kenneth #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Brendan was ranked #619 and Kenneth #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Brendan was ranked #1402 and Kenneth #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Brendan and Kenneth over time
Brendan and Kenneth appear together in 4 published lists, across 111 years of shared records. Brendan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Kenneth in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kenneth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Brendan in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1971, Brendan moved ahead of Kenneth in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #76 and #67 the year before became #54 and #75.
- Longest-running competitions
Brendan and Kenneth were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 60 years, from 1964 to 2024, ending at #394 and #785.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brendan #157 in 1998, Kenneth #345 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2024
Brendan held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Kenneth in 1.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #16 in 1965, Kenneth #26 in 1972.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brendan #394, Kenneth #785.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brendan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Kenneth in 8.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #157 in 1998, Kenneth #345 in 1996.
The order changed in 2019: Kenneth moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #958 and #1324; by 2019 that had become #1217 and #929.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brendan #1402, Kenneth #968.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1965–1977
Brendan held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Kenneth in 6.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #41 in 1976, Kenneth #49 in 1965.
The order changed in 1971: Brendan moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #76 and #67; by 1971 that had become #54 and #75.
Most recent shared year, 1977: Brendan #51, Kenneth #99.
New Zealand · Boys9 shared years, 1966–1981
Brendan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Kenneth in 4.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #64 in 1970, Kenneth #55 in 1967.
The order changed in 1980: Brendan moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #95 and #88; by 1980 that had become #70 and #93.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Brendan #70, Kenneth #88.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Brendan | Kenneth |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | An Anglicized form of both Coinneach and Cináed, of Scottish Gaelic origin. Borne by the Scottish king Kenneth mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Scottish Gaelic |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈkɛn.əθ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kenneth has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic); Brendan does not have one recorded yet.
- Brendan and Kenneth both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kenneth; Brendan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Brendan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Kenneth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #303 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2021
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1979 (recorded 1945–2021).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #968 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys