Heath vs Kenneth
Heath 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 1975, Heath was ranked #98 and Kenneth #99 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Heath was ranked #506 and Kenneth #646 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Heath was ranked #702 and Kenneth #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Heath and Kenneth over time
Heath and Kenneth appear together in 1 published list, across 28 years of shared records. Heath held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Kenneth in 0.
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 Heath 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Heath held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Kenneth in 10.
Highest recorded here: Heath #349 in 2012, Kenneth #345 in 1996.
The order changed in 2007: Heath moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #722 and #688; by 2007 that had become #799 and #820.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Heath #702, Kenneth #968.
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 | Heath | 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #702 (2024) | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 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); Heath does not have one recorded yet.
- Heath has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Kenneth.
- A meaning is recorded for Kenneth; Heath doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Heath
Popularity journey
First recorded1971
First recorded at #89 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1971–1975
Highest recorded position: #87 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1971–1975).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #702 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