Kendal
Girl name · Celtic · Old English
Meaningvalley of the River Kent · Old English
- US rank
- #3,249
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #513 in 2004
48 babies were named Kendal in the US in 2025. It has dropped 908 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1951–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Kendal you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 33,445 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Kendal, 48 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Kendal would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKendal first shows up in US birth records in 1915, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 110 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 2004, when it ranked #513. Today it's #3,249, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowKendal was 3.9× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 8,651 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 33,445.
- TrendKendal has slipped 908 places over the last five years and now sits at #3,249. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Boy or girlKendal is given to both boys and girls: 80% of the 60 babies named Kendal in 2025 were girls. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn Old English, Kendal means “valley of the River Kent”. Our records link it to Celtic and Old English roots.
About the name Kendal
Kendal is a girl name of Celtic and Old English origin meaning “valley of the River Kent”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with K and ending in “-dal”. US birth records list Kendal for girls from 1951 to 2025, in 74 of those 75 years. Its best year was 2004, when it ranked #513 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #3,249, with 48 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesOld English names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.8 | 260,870 girls |
| 1960s | 8.7 | 114,679 girls |
| 1970s | 17 | 58,445 girls |
| 1980s | 52 | 19,073 girls |
| 1990s | 108 | 9,279 girls |
| 2000s | 185 | 5,413 girls |
| 2010s | 115 | 8,678 girls |
| 2020s | 36 | 27,435 girls |
Other spellings of Kendal
More Celtic girl names
- Girl name: Evelyn · possibly desired
- Girl name: Isla · from Islay
- Unisex name: Riley · rye clearing
- Girl name: Maeve · she who intoxicates
- Unisex name: Kennedy · helmeted head
- Unisex name: Quinn · descendant of Conn
- Unisex name: Blair · plain, field
- Girl name: Olive · olive tree
Questions about the name Kendal
What does the name Kendal mean?
Kendal means “valley of the River Kent” in Old English.
What is the origin of the name Kendal?
Kendal has Celtic, Old English roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Evelyn, Isla, Riley.
Is Kendal a boy or girl name?
Kendal is a girl name, though a few boys get it too.
How popular is the name Kendal?
Kendal ranked #3,249 for US girls in 2025, given to 48 babies. Its best year was 2004 (#513).