Alternatives to Kennedy
- Ivory
Origin:
Word nameMeaning:
"hard, white material from the tusks and teeth of animals; pale, white"Description:
Ivory was last popular a hundred years ago. In 2013, it finally began to regain some momentum in the female rankings, reentering the Top 1000, while 2024 saw it jump up the charts again by over 100 places, making it a To 500 name.
- Kehlani
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"sea and sky"Description:
This name first entered the US Top 1000 in 2016, probably because of R&B singer Kehlani, whose full name is Kehlani Ashley Parrish. It was the fastest-rising girls' name of the year. Kehlani may be a variation of Kalani. Hawaiian or Hawaiian like names are particularly popular for girls, with the lani suffix appending to a range of prefixes.
- Ebony
Origin:
EnglishDescription:
An attractive and now underused nature name belonging to a tree whose wood is prized for its dark color and dense texture, which shines when polished. Ebony joined the most popular girl names list in the US in the early 1970s, peaked in 1982 at #132, and dropped back below the Top 1000 in 2006.
- Kerensa
Origin:
CornishMeaning:
"love"Description:
Kerensa, forever romantic, is a rare Cornish name spelled with an 's' or 'z', the most modern of the Karen family. Kerensa (or Kerenza) has ties to the Welsh Cerys.
- Canary
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"small bird"Description:
The name of a small yellow bird that hasn't taken off in the way that some of its avian sisters – like Robin, Wren or Lark – have.
- Carson
Origin:
English and Scottish surnameMeaning:
"son of the marsh dwellers"Description:
Very popular surname choice — it's in the Boys' Top 100 — beginning to catch on for girls. First female association: novelist Carson McCullers.
- Mckenzie
Origin:
Spelling variation of Mackenzie, ScottishMeaning:
"son of Kenneth"Description:
Used quietly on boys in the US since the early 20th century, Mckenzie was abruptly overtaken by the Mackenzie spelling back in 1973 when actress Mackenzie Phillips introduced the name as a possibility for girls. While Mckenzie has never matched its sibling spelling in popularity, it nevertheless climbed the charts in its wake, peaking in 2000 at #133.
- Madigan
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little dog"Description:
An unusual, energetic surname choice that would make a good Madison alternative. Madigan was a typical police detective series of the 1970s, starring Richard Widmark.
- Flannery
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"descendant of Flannghal"Description:
Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending sound.
- February
Origin:
Word name or LatinMeaning:
"purification feast"Description:
If January, April and August are useable and fashionable, why not February? February as a word derives from the Latin februa, which was the name of a purification feast coming at the end of winter, to prepare for the coming spring.
- Kelila
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"laurel, crown"Description:
Kelila, which can also be spelled Kelilah, is a more distinctive and attractive Kayla relative.
- Kensington
Origin:
Place nameDescription:
Kensington is a place name with a number of referents; there are cities by the name in Australia, Canada, South Africa, the UK, and the US. As a girls' name, it entered the US Top 1000 in 2015, likely as a fresher way to get to nickname Kensie/Kenzie than Mackenzie, Mckenzie, or Makenzie.
- Kenley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"well-known clearing"Description:
Kenley is an area in the burrough of Croydon in South London, making this a place name in a couple of senses of the term. Kenley and its twin sister Kenlee may be favored by parents looking to name a daughter after dad Ken...or Lee.
- Kassidy
Origin:
Variation of CassidyDescription:
Like Cassidy, Kassidy peaked near the turn of the millennium and has lost ground in recent years.
- Candy
Origin:
English word name or diminutive of Candace, LatinMeaning:
"white, pure, sincere"Description:
Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl.
- Kenya
Origin:
Place name, KikuyuMeaning:
"mountain of white"Description:
Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks lower than spelling variant Kenia.
- Kerrigan
Origin:
Irish surnameMeaning:
"son of Ciaragán"Description:
An attractive Irish surname that is currently used exclusively for girls in the US, likely due to the feminine associations with the first name Kerry and with skating champion Nancy Kerrigan.
- Rhapsody
Origin:
French, musical termDescription:
Could be seen as extravagantly ecstatic for a baby name, though feel free to rhapsodize about your little girl, whatever her name.
- Kelynen
Origin:
CornishMeaning:
"holly"Description:
Related to the Welsh name Celyn (and ultimately a distant cousin of the English word Holly), this makes a rare and modern-sounding nature name. Outside of Cornwall, it may be a struggle keeping the stress on the second syllable.
- Hennessy
Origin:
Irish surname nameDescription:
Hennessy has attracted some notice as a first name via rapper Cardi B's sister Hennessy Carolina. It certainly has a pretty sound and can hold its own with the new generation of Irish names for girls that originated as surnames, such as Kennedy, McKenna, and Riley. Hennessy is also the brand name of a cognac, which is how Cardi B got her stage name -- her nickname was Bacardi.
Introducing the Nameberry App

Find your perfect baby name together with our new mobile app.
- Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
- Names you match on are saved to your shared list
- Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
- Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
- Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Sign up to be notified when the app launches and to receive a discount on full access.

