Kenneth vs Ultan
Kenneth and Ultancompared 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, Kenneth was ranked #315 and Ultan #255 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #785 and Ultan #655 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2021, Kenneth was ranked #1078 and Ultan #4789 among boys in England and Wales.
Kenneth and Ultan over time
Kenneth and Ultan appear together in 1 published list, across 59 years of shared records. Kenneth held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Ultan 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.
Ultan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Kenneth 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
Kenneth and Ultan changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2024, ending at #785 and #655.
- Longest-running competitions
Kenneth and Ultan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1964 to 2024, ending at #785 and #655.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2024
Kenneth held the stronger position in 41 of those years, Ultan in 13.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #26 in 1972, Ultan #146 in 1969.
The order changed in 2009: Ultan moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #317 and #328; by 2009 that had become #292 and #261.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kenneth #785, Ultan #655.
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 | Ultan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (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); Ultan does not have one recorded yet.
- Kenneth and Ultan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Kenneth; Ultan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
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
Ultan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #181 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #146 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys