Graham vs Kenneth
Graham 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1972, Graham was ranked #74 and Kenneth #100 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1977, Graham was ranked #98 and Kenneth #99 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2001, Graham was ranked #280 and Kenneth #280 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2018, Graham was ranked #635 and Kenneth #369 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Graham was ranked #727 and Kenneth #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Graham was ranked #5119 and Kenneth #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Graham and Kenneth over time
Graham and Kenneth appear together in 4 published lists, across 126 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 1 of those lists, and Graham 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Graham and Kenneth changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2018, ending at #635 and #369.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Graham and Kenneth averaged 7.4 places apart, ending at #98 and #99.
- Longest-running competitions
Graham and Kenneth were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 53 years, from 1964 to 2018, ending at #635 and #369.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Graham #341 in 1996, Kenneth #345 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1964–2018
Graham held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Kenneth in 27.
Highest recorded here: Graham #52 in 1984, Kenneth #26 in 1972.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Graham #635, Kenneth #369.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Graham held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Kenneth in 27.
Highest recorded here: Graham #341 in 1996, Kenneth #345 in 1996.
The order changed in 1998: Kenneth moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #344 and #348; by 1998 that had become #398 and #369.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Graham #5119, Kenneth #968.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 1952–1977
Graham held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Kenneth in 6.
Highest recorded here: Graham #20 in 1952, Kenneth #16 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1977: Graham #98, Kenneth #99.
New Zealand · Boys18 shared years, 1954–1972
Graham held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Kenneth in 0.
Highest recorded here: Graham #23 in 1954, Kenneth #28 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1972: Graham #74, Kenneth #100.
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 | Graham | 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 | /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 | Scotland · Boys #727 (2024) | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 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); Graham does not have one recorded yet.
- Graham and Kenneth both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kenneth; Graham 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
Graham
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1979
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1979).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5119 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · 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