Kenny
How to say it: KEN-ee · /ˈkɛni/
Diminutive of Kenneth, from Gaelic 'Caioneach' meaning 'handsome' or Irish 'Cionaodh' meaning 'born of fire'.
Kenny was the 1,110th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 155 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1960s, its births are down about 37% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,305 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,110 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 155 |
| Share of births | 1 in 21,389 |
| Peak decade | 1960s |
| Change over 10 years | −37% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,305 |
| In France, 2025 | #813 among boys’ names, 35 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Once a familiar choice at its height in the 1960s, Kenny has grown rarer since. It sits far below its peak and is likely to slip further.
What goes with it
Crisp edges soften into a friendly close. Bobby could stand alongside it.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Kenny is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Irish.
In France: #813 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Kenny
- Kenny Dalglish (born 1951)Scottish association football player and manager
- Kenny Cunningham (born 1985)Costa Rican association football player
- Kenny Tete (born 1995)Dutch association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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