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Kenneth vs Tommy

Kenneth and Tommy compared 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.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #535 and Tommy #20 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #785 and Tommy #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Kenneth was ranked #1007 and Tommy #44 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2007, Kenneth was ranked #315 and Tommy #357 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2021, Kenneth was ranked #475 and Tommy #450 among boys in Norway.

Kenneth and Tommy over time

Norway · Boys
#10#30#100#30019452021Kenneth #475Tommy #4501945: Kenneth #303, Tommy #2681946: Kenneth #275, Tommy #3421947: Kenneth #200, Tommy #3301948: Kenneth #185, Tommy #2681949: Kenneth #225, Tommy #2431951: Kenneth #219, Tommy #1791952: Kenneth #178, Tommy #1851953: Kenneth #185, Tommy #1581954: Kenneth #152, Tommy #1371955: Kenneth #153, Tommy #1261956: Kenneth #138, Tommy #1241957: Kenneth #149, Tommy #961958: Kenneth #137, Tommy #541959: Kenneth #137, Tommy #601960: Kenneth #112, Tommy #661961: Kenneth #121, Tommy #731962: Kenneth #101, Tommy #711963: Kenneth #95, Tommy #751964: Kenneth #80, Tommy #631965: Kenneth #79, Tommy #771966: Kenneth #72, Tommy #611967: Kenneth #60, Tommy #531968: Kenneth #53, Tommy #421969: Kenneth #49, Tommy #351970: Kenneth #40, Tommy #311971: Kenneth #27, Tommy #281972: Kenneth #26, Tommy #161973: Kenneth #24, Tommy #131974: Kenneth #17, Tommy #141975: Kenneth #19, Tommy #121976: Kenneth #17, Tommy #111977: Kenneth #12, Tommy #201978: Kenneth #12, Tommy #241979: Kenneth #10, Tommy #281980: Kenneth #15, Tommy #301981: Kenneth #16, Tommy #251982: Kenneth #15, Tommy #271983: Kenneth #17, Tommy #321984: Kenneth #15, Tommy #261985: Kenneth #18, Tommy #301986: Kenneth #18, Tommy #341987: Kenneth #18, Tommy #311988: Kenneth #25, Tommy #281989: Kenneth #28, Tommy #381990: Kenneth #27, Tommy #411991: Kenneth #33, Tommy #381992: Kenneth #39, Tommy #461993: Kenneth #48, Tommy #531994: Kenneth #58, Tommy #531995: Kenneth #77, Tommy #691996: Kenneth #72, Tommy #791997: Kenneth #84, Tommy #781998: Kenneth #98, Tommy #941999: Kenneth #139, Tommy #1052000: Kenneth #159, Tommy #1312001: Kenneth #158, Tommy #1412002: Kenneth #188, Tommy #1492003: Kenneth #160, Tommy #1852004: Kenneth #190, Tommy #1802005: Kenneth #183, Tommy #1542006: Kenneth #230, Tommy #2022007: Kenneth #287, Tommy #2662008: Kenneth #309, Tommy #2842009: Kenneth #310, Tommy #2982010: Kenneth #451, Tommy #2522011: Kenneth #389, Tommy #2572012: Kenneth #417, Tommy #3512013: Kenneth #344, Tommy #3362014: Kenneth #467, Tommy #4312015: Kenneth #462, Tommy #4452016: Kenneth #390, Tommy #5062017: Kenneth #506, Tommy #3662018: Kenneth #397, Tommy #4342019: Kenneth #506, Tommy #4812020: Kenneth #404, Tommy #3912021: Kenneth #475, Tommy #450

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Republic of Ireland · Boys
#30#100#30019802024Kenneth #785Tommy #211980: Kenneth #41, Tommy #3211983: Kenneth #53, Tommy #2581984: Kenneth #50, Tommy #2741985: Kenneth #51, Tommy #3041986: Kenneth #65, Tommy #3171987: Kenneth #60, Tommy #2721988: Kenneth #63, Tommy #3191989: Kenneth #70, Tommy #2781990: Kenneth #75, Tommy #3231992: Kenneth #80, Tommy #2511993: Kenneth #115, Tommy #2751994: Kenneth #119, Tommy #2471995: Kenneth #108, Tommy #2611996: Kenneth #115, Tommy #1921997: Kenneth #133, Tommy #2241998: Kenneth #130, Tommy #2151999: Kenneth #167, Tommy #1772000: Kenneth #173, Tommy #1832001: Kenneth #201, Tommy #2152002: Kenneth #180, Tommy #2122003: Kenneth #184, Tommy #2072004: Kenneth #263, Tommy #1462005: Kenneth #191, Tommy #1652006: Kenneth #314, Tommy #1572007: Kenneth #299, Tommy #1492008: Kenneth #317, Tommy #1692009: Kenneth #292, Tommy #1662010: Kenneth #422, Tommy #1602011: Kenneth #387, Tommy #882012: Kenneth #718, Tommy #802013: Kenneth #605, Tommy #782014: Kenneth #715, Tommy #692015: Kenneth #615, Tommy #632016: Kenneth #448, Tommy #662017: Kenneth #495, Tommy #682018: Kenneth #369, Tommy #692019: Kenneth #646, Tommy #532020: Kenneth #637, Tommy #362021: Kenneth #755, Tommy #362022: Kenneth #572, Tommy #292024: Kenneth #785, Tommy #21

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Kenneth and Tommy over time

Kenneth and Tommy appear together in 3 published lists, across 147 years of shared records. Tommy held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Kenneth in 1.

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, Tommy in 1. 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 2004, Tommy moved ahead of Kenneth in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #184 and #207 the year before became #263 and #146.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Kenneth and Tommy changed places 16 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2021, ending at #475 and #450.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 76 shared years in Norway · Boys, Kenneth and Tommy averaged 29.3 places apart, ending at #475 and #450.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Kenneth and Tommy were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1007 and #44.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys76 shared years, 1945–2021

    Kenneth held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Tommy in 49.

    Highest recorded here: Kenneth #10 in 1979, Tommy #11 in 1976.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Kenneth #475, Tommy #450.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys41 shared years, 1980–2024

    Kenneth held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Tommy in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Kenneth #41 in 1980, Tommy #21 in 2024.

    The order changed in 2004: Tommy moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #184 and #207; by 2004 that had become #263 and #146.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Kenneth #785, Tommy #21.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Kenneth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Tommy in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Kenneth #345 in 1996, Tommy #22 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Kenneth #1007, Tommy #44.

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.

Other comparisons involving Tommy

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions →

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Kenneth, Tommy
FieldKennethTommy
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAn 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
OriginScottish GaelicNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈkɛn.əθ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #1007 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #27 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Kenneth has a recorded origin (Scottish Gaelic); Tommy does not have one recorded yet.
  • Kenneth and Tommy both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Kenneth; Tommy 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

  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 recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1007 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Tommy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #268 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 recorded1999–2024

    Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1999–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #44 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys