Kennedy
Girl name · Celtic · Irish · Irish surname
Meaninghelmeted head · Irish
- US rank
- #85
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #54 in 2014
2,933 babies were named Kennedy in the US in 2025. It has dropped 13 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, 1957–2025
US births per million boys, 1912–2025
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 Kennedy you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Kennedy
Kennedy Mweene
Zambian footballer
Choose Kennedy and your child shares a first name with Kennedy Mweene, a Zambian footballer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Kennedy, like who?” Kennedy Mweene's Wikipedia article is available in 23 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Kennedy Mweene on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 548 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Kennedy, 2,933 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Kennedy would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKennedy first shows up in US birth records in 1912, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 113 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2014, when it reached #54.
- Where it's lovedKennedy is most popular in Wyoming, where it ranks #31, followed by New Hampshire (#34) and Pennsylvania (#52). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Irish, Kennedy means “helmeted head”. Our records link it to Celtic, Irish and Irish surname roots.
- OriginKennedy is the #10 most popular Celtic girl name in the US. That's out of 407 Celtic girl and unisex names in our list.
About the name Kennedy
Kennedy is a girl name of Celtic, Irish and Irish surname origin meaning “helmeted head”. It has 7 letters and 3 syllables, starting with K and ending in “-edy”. US birth records list Kennedy for girls from 1957 to 2025, in 53 of those 69 years. Its best year was 2014, when it ranked #54 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #85, with 2,933 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesIrish namesIrish surname names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.8 | 1,250,000 girls |
| 1960s | 0.9 | 1,123,596 girls |
| 1970s | 1.5 | 666,667 girls |
| 1980s | 7.2 | 138,696 girls |
| 1990s | 485 | 2,061 girls |
| 2000s | 1,491 | 671 girls |
| 2010s | 2,205 | 453 girls |
| 2020s | 1,930 | 518 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 8.2 | 122,511 boys |
| 1920s | 8.3 | 121,212 boys |
| 1930s | 5.8 | 173,310 boys |
| 1940s | 6.7 | 149,477 boys |
| 1950s | 9.2 | 109,170 boys |
| 1960s | 57 | 17,419 boys |
| 1970s | 15 | 66,800 boys |
| 1980s | 25 | 40,145 boys |
| 1990s | 66 | 15,142 boys |
| 2000s | 86 | 11,631 boys |
| 2010s | 80 | 12,574 boys |
| 2020s | 61 | 16,273 boys |
Other spellings of Kennedy
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: Quinn · descendant of Conn
- Unisex name: Blair · plain, field
- Girl name: Olive · olive tree
- Unisex name: Rory · red king
Questions about the name Kennedy
What does the name Kennedy mean?
Kennedy means “helmeted head” in Irish.
What is the origin of the name Kennedy?
Kennedy has Celtic, Irish, Irish surname roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Evelyn, Isla, Riley.
Is Kennedy a boy or girl name?
Kennedy is a girl name, though a few boys get it too.
How popular is the name Kennedy?
Kennedy ranked #85 for US girls in 2025, given to 2,933 babies. Its best year was 2014 (#54).