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Kenneth

Kenneth is a boy's name of Irish and Celtic origin meaning “handsome.” In 2024 it was given to 1,186 boys in the United States.

Kenneth at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
Irish & Celtic
Meaning
“handsome”
Pronunciation
/ˈkɛn.əθ/
Also spelled
Cainnech

About the name Kenneth

Kenneth belongs to the Irish & Celtic tradition. Its meaning — “handsome” — is the sense carried by its Irish and Celtic roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page. It travels in a few spellings: Cainnech.

In the United States, Kenneth first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #13 in 1939, and in 2024 1,186 babies received the name — 1,282,809 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Kenneth in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#13 in 1939
Peak year
1957
Babies named Kenneth in 2024
1,186
Total since 1880
1,282,809

Spellings & short forms

Cainnech

Similar names

More names from the Irish & Celtic shelf:

DonaldIrish and CelticKevinIrish and CelticBrianIrish and CelticRonaldIrish and CelticRyanIrish and CelticScottIrish and CelticBrandonIrish and CelticJackIrish and Celtic

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Kenneth mean?

Kenneth means “handsome” in its Irish and Celtic roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Kenneth a boy or girl name?

Kenneth is a boy name. In 2024, 1,186 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Kenneth?

Kenneth comes from the Irish & Celtic tradition. It is also spelled Cainnech.

How popular is the name Kenneth?

Kenneth first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #13 in 1939, and 1,186 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Kenneth?

Kenneth is pronounced /ˈkɛn.əθ/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.