Kennedy
Borrowed from Irish Ó Cinnéidigh (ceann (“head”) + éidigh (“ugly”)) or Scottish Gaelic Ceannaideach (ceann (“head”) + aideach (“ugly”).
Every Kennedy since 1912 — 101,120 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kennedy
Kennedy is a top-100 name for girls in the United States, ranked #85 in 2025 with 2,933 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1912, 101,120 American babies have been named Kennedy — about 93% girls and 7% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2015, when 4,688 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kennedy stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kennedy year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,933 | #85 | 86 | #1,842 |
| 2024 | 2,890 | #89 | 96 | #1,727 |
| 2023 | 3,075 | #72 | 105 | #1,644 |
| 2022 | 3,077 | #74 | 104 | #1,660 |
| 2021 | 3,443 | #70 | 104 | #1,625 |
| 2020 | 3,361 | #72 | 142 | #1,286 |
| 2019 | 3,692 | #68 | 135 | #1,338 |
| 2018 | 3,946 | #59 | 126 | #1,398 |
| 2017 | 4,162 | #58 | 140 | #1,296 |
| 2016 | 4,341 | #59 | 171 | #1,132 |
| 2015 | 4,523 | #58 | 165 | #1,143 |
| 2014 | 4,498 | #54 | 158 | #1,182 |
| 2013 | 3,961 | #65 | 154 | #1,172 |
| 2012 | 3,389 | #84 | 164 | #1,122 |
| 2011 | 3,248 | #91 | 125 | #1,355 |
| 2010 | 2,833 | #111 | 159 | #1,161 |
| 2009 | 2,863 | #115 | 150 | #1,207 |
| 2008 | 2,953 | #115 | 166 | #1,108 |
| 2007 | 3,054 | #110 | 153 | #1,161 |
| 2006 | 2,904 | #115 | 179 | #1,026 |
| 2005 | 2,826 | #118 | 173 | #998 |
| 2004 | 2,886 | #117 | 183 | #926 |
| 2003 | 2,774 | #122 | 170 | #961 |
| 2002 | 2,513 | #136 | 195 | #853 |
| 2001 | 2,406 | #138 | 185 | #869 |
| 2000 | 2,390 | #139 | 160 | #955 |
| 1995 | 1,235 | #229 | 159 | #860 |
| 1990 | 38 | #2,983 | 72 | #1,311 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,245 | 49 | #1,403 |
| 1980 | 5 | #11,174 | 20 | #2,488 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,756 | 21 | #2,170 |
| 1970 | — | — | 42 | #1,286 |
| 1965 | 5 | #6,987 | 121 | #677 |
| 1960 | — | — | 117 | #720 |
| 1955 | — | — | 21 | #1,710 |
| 1950 | — | — | 13 | #2,156 |
| 1945 | — | — | 9 | #2,489 |
| 1940 | — | — | 9 | #2,583 |
| 1935 | — | — | 6 | #3,458 |
| 1930 | — | — | 19 | #1,731 |
| 1925 | — | — | 8 | #3,275 |
| 1920 | — | — | 8 | #3,359 |
| 1915 | — | — | 7 | #3,235 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kennedy
- Kennedy Bakircioglu Soccer player · b. 1980
- Kennedy Mweene Soccer player · b. 1984
- Kennedy Igboananike Soccer player · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kennedy mean?
Borrowed from Irish Ó Cinnéidigh (ceann (“head”) + éidigh (“ugly”)) or Scottish Gaelic Ceannaideach (ceann (“head”) + aideach (“ugly”).
How popular is the name Kennedy in 2025?
Kennedy ranked #85 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 2,933 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kennedy?
101,120 babies have been named Kennedy in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kennedy most popular?
Kennedy peaked in 2015, when 4,688 newborns received the name.
Is Kennedy a boy or girl name?
Kennedy is used for both: about 93% of babies named Kennedy have been girls and 7% boys.
Is the name Kennedy rising or falling?
Kennedy is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kennedy?
Well-known people named Kennedy include Kennedy Bakircioglu (soccer player), Kennedy Mweene (soccer player), Kennedy Igboananike (soccer player).