Kenneth vs Louis
Kenneth and Louiscompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #968 and Louis #47 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #785 and Louis #85 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #535 and Louis #98 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Kenneth was ranked #315 and Louis #111 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2021, Kenneth was ranked #475 and Louis #190 among boys in Norway.
Kenneth and Louis over time
Kenneth and Louis appear together in 3 published lists, across 125 years of shared records. Kenneth held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Louis in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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, and Louis 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 1999, Louis moved ahead of Kenneth in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #130 and #150 the year before became #167 and #130.
- Longest-running competitions
Kenneth and Louis were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 36 years, from 1946 to 2021, ending at #475 and #190.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2024
Kenneth held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Louis in 25.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #26 in 1972, Louis #64 in 2018.
The order changed in 1999: Louis moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #130 and #150; by 1999 that had become #167 and #130.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kenneth #785, Louis #85.
Norway · Boys36 shared years, 1946–2021
Kenneth held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Louis in 11.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #15 in 1980, Louis #190 in 2021.
The order changed in 2012: Louis moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #389 and #409; by 2012 that had become #417 and #314.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Kenneth #475, Louis #190.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kenneth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Louis in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #345 in 1996, Louis #38 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kenneth #968, Louis #47.
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 | Kenneth | Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɛn.əθ/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kenneth has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic); Louis does not have one recorded yet.
- Kenneth has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Louis.
- A meaning is recorded for Kenneth; Louis doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Louis
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #334 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #38 among boys in England and Wales, in 2004 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys