Josh vs Kenneth
Josh 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, Josh was ranked #76 and Kenneth #315 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Josh was ranked #158 and Kenneth #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Josh was ranked #218 and Kenneth #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Josh was ranked #857 and Kenneth #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Josh and Kenneth over time
Josh and Kenneth appear together in 2 published lists, across 63 years of shared records. Josh held the stronger position in more years in 2 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 2 of those lists, and Josh 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 1998, Josh moved ahead of Kenneth in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #139 and #133 the year before became #114 and #130.
- Longest-running competitions
Josh and Kenneth were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 34 years, from 1989 to 2024, ending at #158 and #785.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1989–2024
Josh held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Kenneth in 8.
Highest recorded here: Josh #56 in 2003, Kenneth #70 in 1989.
The order changed in 1998: Josh moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #139 and #133; by 1998 that had become #114 and #130.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Josh #158, Kenneth #785.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Josh held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Kenneth in 0.
Highest recorded here: Josh #84 in 2002, Kenneth #345 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Josh #857, 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 | Josh | 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 | 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 #188 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 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); Josh does not have one recorded yet.
- Josh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Kenneth.
- A meaning is recorded for Kenneth; Josh doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Josh
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #278 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #188 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