Kenta
Meaningoften healthy, sturdy · Japanese
Kenta is a Japanese boy name often meaning “healthy, sturdy”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length.
Did you know?
- GenerationKenta peaked in 1977, which makes it a Gen X name. The typical Kenta you'd meet today is about 48 years old.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Kenta would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 243,902 baby boys got the name in 2025.
- HistoryKenta first shows up in US birth records in 1973, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 52 years since.
US births per million boys, 1973–2025
Similar names
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Kenta
Kenta is a boy name of Japanese origin meaning “often healthy, sturdy”. Its two syllables give it an easy rhythm, and the open vowel at the end makes it sound soft and warm. It hit its peak in the 1970s, so it feels familiar without being trendy. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Japanese names
More Japanese boy names
- Unisex name: Asa · healer
- Unisex name: Rio · river
- Unisex name: Akari · light, brightness
- Boy name: Kenzo · often healthy third son
- Boy name: Kenji · often strong second son
- Unisex name: Ren · often lotus
- Unisex name: Zen · meditation
- Unisex name: Mars · god of war
Questions about the name Kenta
What does the name Kenta mean?
Kenta means “often healthy, sturdy” and comes from Japanese. Other boy names with a similar meaning include Valentino (“strong, healthy”), Kenzo (“often healthy third son”), Valentin (“strong, healthy”) and Valentine (“strong, healthy”).
What is the origin of the name Kenta?
Kenta is Japanese in origin. Other Japanese names to consider are Asa (“healer”), Rio (“river”), Akari (“light, brightness”) and Kenzo (“often healthy third son”).
Is Kenta a boy or girl name?
Kenta is a boy name. In 2025, 7 US boys were named Kenta.
How popular is the name Kenta?
Kenta ranked #9,714 for US boys in 2025, given to 7 babies. Its best year was 1977, when it reached #1,289. Over the last five years it has slipped 2,680 places.
What names are similar to Kenta?
If you like Kenta, you might also like Valentino, Kenzo, Valentin and Valentine.
What should I know before naming my baby Kenta?
Kenta is a Japanese boy name often meaning “healthy, sturdy”. In Japan, parents often choose a name as much for the kanji characters behind it as for its sound, so the same name can carry several shades of meaning. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds soft and friendly, it's easy to spell and quick to call across a playground, and it pairs well with middle names of almost any length. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.