Kenneth
maleScottish GaelicAn 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: Scottish Gaelic
Official popularity data is available for 7 regions, from 1945 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #10 in Norway in 1979. See regions.
Kenneth: Recorded since 1945, it reached #10 in 1979, and it stood at #1,007 in 2025.
Data Confidence
Confidence in the evidencebehind this name's data — never a rating of the name itself, and never affected by how well it matches your preferences. How this is assessed
Because: backed by officially or academically authoritative sources, recently verified, popularity data covers multiple regions.
Averaged from the real per-claim source-authority assessments already computed for this name's meaning/origin/pronunciation/popularity evidence.
Averaged from the real per-claim supporting-source counts already computed for this name's evidence.
See full evidence assessment (8 dimensions, 1 not yet tracked)
No recorded source disagreement for this name's meanings or origins.
Calculated from how long ago this record was last verified (2026-07-21), against a 270-day staleness threshold.
Calculated from the number of geographies with official popularity data (7) — broader official coverage means the evidence base is relevant to more of where the name is actually used.
Calculated from how many of the expected data sections (variants, similar names, popularity, notable usage, IPA pronunciation) are actually populated for this name.
Averaged from the real per-claim direct-observation-vs-inference ratios already computed for this name's evidence.
Cross-source identity and variant resolution requires HEKNO Knowledge, which isn't connected yet.
Name Characteristics
How these are calculatedDescriptive attributes of the name itself — not a confidence measurement, and not an overall quality score. Namewise doesn't approve or disapprove of names.
Editorial judgement of how consistently this name is pronounced correctly on first read, mapped from an easy/moderate/variable rating to a number. Describes the name — not a measure of evidence confidence.
Calculated directly from the name's spelling: shorter names with fewer irregular letter clusters score higher. A disclosed formula, not an editorial opinion — and not a confidence measurement.
Derived from how many geographies' official statistics record this name. It measures where the name is registered, not how well-known it feels to people living there.
Derived from the same official statistical coverage, scaled to reflect how widely the name crosses national datasets. Not a measure of how easily it is understood in another language.
Derived from the name's traditional/modern classification and its current popularity trend direction.
Overview
- Origin
- Scottish Gaelic
- 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.
- Pronunciation
- KEN-uth
- Syllables
- 2
- Common nicknames
- None recorded
- Classification
- Traditional & modern
- Gender usage
- male
- Language family
- Scottish Gaelic
Popularity
among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2025
View as table
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 1996 | #345 |
| 1997 | #348 |
| 1998 | #369 |
| 1999 | #375 |
| 2000 | #430 |
| 2001 | #495 |
| 2002 | #411 |
| 2003 | #633 |
| 2004 | #576 |
| 2005 | #512 |
| 2006 | #688 |
| 2007 | #820 |
| 2008 | #746 |
| 2009 | #884 |
| 2010 | #792 |
| 2011 | #878 |
| 2012 | #998 |
| 2013 | #1147 |
| 2014 | #935 |
| 2015 | #888 |
| 2016 | #818 |
| 2017 | #1021 |
| 2018 | #1324 |
| 2019 | #929 |
| 2020 | #1150 |
| 2021 | #1078 |
| 2022 | #1179 |
| 2023 | #1207 |
| 2024 | #968 |
| 2025 | #1007 |
VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.
See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales
What the data shows
Recorded in official data among boys in Norway in 76 of the 77 years from 1945 to 2021.
In 2024: #535 among boys in Scotland, #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #968 among boys in England and Wales.
Official data from 7 national registrars across 7 regions, 1945–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources
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
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1007 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys
Meaning & Origin
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.
VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.
VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.
Where Kenneth is officially recorded
7 official registrars have recorded Kenneth, between 1945 and 2025, in 80 of those 81 years. Each registrar publishes for its own population on its own methodology, so the positions below are each one country's own ranking and are not comparable with one another.
| Registrar | Recorded | Years | Its own highest position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 1945–2021 | 76 | #10 in 1979 |
| New South Wales, Australia | 1952–1977 | 26 | #16 in 1952 |
| New Zealand | 1954–1981 | 21 | #28 in 1954 |
| Republic of Ireland | 1964–2024 | 60 | #26 in 1972 |
| England and Wales | 1996–2025 | 30 | #345 in 1996 |
| Northern Ireland | 1997–2007 | 6 | #192 in 1997 |
| Scotland | 2024 | 1 | #535 in 2024 |
Its high point came 72 years earlier in New South Wales, Australia (1952) than in Scotland (2024).
Variants
No spelling variants or nicknames recorded yet.
Similar Names
No similar names recorded yet for this name.
Similarity is a demonstration score — see methodology.
Spelling
Calculated directly from the name's spelling — see Name Characteristics above.
No commonly used alternate spellings recorded.
Pronunciation
- Syllables
- 2
- Ease
- easy
VerifiedSource: Behind the Name.Confidence: medium.
Where Kenneth Is Recorded
National statistical agencies have recorded Kenneth in these places. This shows where the name is used — not where it comes from, and not that it carries particular cultural significance there.
Notable Usage
No safely-sourced notable usage recorded for this name yet.
Sibling & Surname Compatibility
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