Kenan
Boy name · Celtic · Hebrew · Irish
- US rank
- #1,145
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #966 in 1997
184 babies were named Kenan in the US in 2025. It has climbed 180 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1985–2025
US births per million boys, 1947–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Kenan you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Kenan
Kenan Yıldız
Turkish association football player (born 2005)
Choose Kenan and your child shares a first name with Kenan Yıldız, a Turkish association football player. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Kenan, like who?” Kenan Yıldız's Wikipedia article is available in 44 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Kenan Yıldız on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 9,285 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Kenan, 184 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Kenan would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKenan first shows up in US birth records in 1947, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 78 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1997, when it reached #966.
- TrendKenan has climbed 180 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,145. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedKenan is most popular in Connecticut, where it ranks #498, followed by North Carolina (#645) and Michigan (#679). It's in the top 1,000 in 10 states.
About the name Kenan
Kenan is a boy name of Celtic, Hebrew and Irish origin. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with K and ending in “-nan”. US birth records list Kenan for boys from 1947 to 2025, in 73 of those 79 years. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked #966 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,145, with 184 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesHebrew namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.6 | 1,724,138 girls |
| 1990s | 0.5 | 2,083,333 girls |
| 2000s | 0.6 | 1,694,915 girls |
| 2010s | 2.8 | 357,143 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 1.8 | 545,455 boys |
| 1950s | 2.5 | 403,226 boys |
| 1960s | 5.6 | 178,891 boys |
| 1970s | 16 | 63,291 boys |
| 1980s | 19 | 52,549 boys |
| 1990s | 40 | 25,063 boys |
| 2000s | 52 | 19,099 boys |
| 2010s | 59 | 16,958 boys |
| 2020s | 92 | 10,915 boys |
Other spellings of Kenan
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Kenan
What is the origin of the name Kenan?
Kenan has Celtic, Hebrew, Irish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Kenan a boy or girl name?
Kenan is a boy name.
How popular is the name Kenan?
Kenan ranked #1,145 for US boys in 2025, given to 184 babies. Its best year was 1997 (#966).