The story behind Kenneth
Anglicized form of two Goidelic names, Old Irish Cináed, the name of Scottish kings derived from Pictish *ᚉᚔᚅᚔᚑᚇ (Ciniod), and the saint's name Cainnech (literally “handsome”) (modern Scottish Gaelic Coinneach), as in the surname Mackenzie.
Pronunciation
English; dialect unspecified: /ˈkɛn.əθ/
Popularity
Kenneth ranked #294 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Kenneth
Hamish
Anglicized spelling of Scottish Gaelic Sheumais, vocative case of Seumas, from English James (see for more). Doublet of James etc.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
- same syllable count
- similar length
Kailash
Borrowed from Sanskrit कैलास (kailāsa).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
- same syllable count
- similar length
Kaustubh
Borrowed from Sanskrit कौस्तुभ (kaustubha).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
- same syllable count
- similar length
Keziah
Borrowed from Hebrew קְצִיעָה (Qəṣî‘āh).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
- same syllable count
- similar length
Kenna
* As a Scottish surname, shortened from McKenna. * As a Manx and Irish surname, from Ó Cionaodha /Ó Cionaoith (“descendant of Cionaodh”), a name usually Anglicized as Kenneth.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aaliyah
Popularized by American singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001). Transliteration of Arabic عَالِيَة (ʕāliya).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Kenneth
Alastair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair (“Alexander”). Doublet of Alexander.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aleister
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman French Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Alistair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the stem…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Kenneth
Alastair
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair (“Alexander”). Doublet of Alexander.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Alaster
A male given name from Scottish Gaelic, variant of Alistair.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Aleister
From Scottish Gaelic Alasdair, from Norman French Alexandre or Latin Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros), from ἀλέξω (aléxō, “to defend”) + ἀνδρ- (andr-), the…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length