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Kennedy
OriginIrish
Meaning"misshapen head"
About Kennedy
This attractive surname name still projects that Kennedy family charisma. While it didn't come into widespread use until long after the deaths of martyred heroes President John F. or Senator Robert Kennedy, Kennedy is now one of the most popular unisex names, particularly for girls. This is one name that manages to sound trendy and traditional at the same time.
Pronounced KEN-uh-dee.
As of October 2026, Kennedy ranked #1842 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #518 in 1964.
Editor's take: The name Kennedy is a boy's name of Irish origin meaning "misshapen head".
Popularity & trends
US popularity — history
US rank, lower is more popular · SSA data 2014–2025
Actual · SSA
20142025
18802025
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,182 | 158 | 82.3 |
| 2015 | #1,143 | 165 | 86.1 |
| 2016 | #1,132 | 171 | 90.1 |
| 2017 | #1,296 | 140 | 75.6 |
| 2018 | #1,397 | 126 | 69.4 |
| 2019 | #1,338 | 135 | 75.2 |
| 2020 | #1,286 | 142 | 82.3 |
| 2021 | #1,625 | 104 | 59.4 |
| 2022 | #1,658 | 104 | 59.6 |
| 2023 | #1,656 | 104 | 60.8 |
| 2024 | #1,738 | 95 | 55.1 |
| 2025 | #1,842 | 86 | 50.3 |
World rankings
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Kennedy on lists
Famous Kennedys
- Benjamin H. Kennedy (1804
1889), translator
- George Kennedy
American actor
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy
35th President of the USA
Kennedy in pop culture
- Kennedy
character from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Variations & nicknames
Kennedy in blog posts
Community discussions
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