Namewise

Emmet vs Kenneth

Emmet 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2007, Emmet was ranked #189 and Kenneth #315 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Emmet was ranked #655 and Kenneth #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2023, Emmet was ranked #4107 and Kenneth #1207 among boys in England and Wales.

Emmet and Kenneth over time

Emmet and Kenneth appear together in 2 published lists, across 79 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in one 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 2 of those lists, and Emmet in none. 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 1993, Emmet moved ahead of Kenneth in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #82 and #80 the year before became #97 and #115.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Emmet and Kenneth were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1965 to 2024, ending at #655 and #785.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Emmet #1578 in 1997, Kenneth #345 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1965–2024

    Emmet held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Kenneth in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Emmet #82 in 1992, Kenneth #26 in 1972.

    The order changed in 1993: Emmet moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #82 and #80; by 1993 that had become #97 and #115.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emmet #655, Kenneth #785.

  • England and Wales · Boys20 shared years, 1996–2023

    Emmet held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Kenneth in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Emmet #1578 in 1997, Kenneth #345 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Emmet #4107, Kenneth #1207.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Kenneth

Pairs where Kenneth shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emmet, Kenneth
FieldEmmetKenneth
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedAn 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.
OriginNot yet recordedScottish Gaelic
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈkɛn.əθ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)Scotland · Boys #535 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kenneth has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic); Emmet does not have one recorded yet.
  • Emmet and Kenneth both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kenneth; Emmet doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Emmet

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #207 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1965–2025

    Highest recorded position: #82 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1992 (recorded 1965–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Kenneth

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2021

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1979 (recorded 1945–2021).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #968 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys