Kedon
An invented name of uncertain meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kedon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kedon today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kedon births was 2021 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kedon. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kedon. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2021
5 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,135
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Kedon: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kedon by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Kedon during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kedon
The name Kedon has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500 BCE. The name is derived from the Sumerian word "ke-du," which means "guardian" or "protector." It is believed to have been a popular name among the Sumerian people for those who were tasked with guarding important landmarks or possessions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kedon can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian epic poem dating back to around 2100 BCE. In this epic, Kedon is mentioned as the name of a minor character who served as a guardian in the city of Uruk.
Over the centuries, the name Kedon spread to other regions and cultures, particularly in the Middle East and Mediterranean areas. In ancient Greek texts, the name appears as "Kedōn," and it is believed to have been used by some Greek families during the classical period.
One notable figure in history who bore the name Kedon was a Roman general who lived in the 1st century BCE. He was known for his military campaigns against the Germanic tribes and played a significant role in the expansion of the Roman Empire.
In the Middle Ages, the name Kedon was found in some European regions, particularly in areas with strong influences from ancient Greek and Roman cultures. A notable figure from this period was Kedon of Antioch, a Christian scholar and philosopher who lived in the 5th century CE. He is known for his contributions to the study of theology and his writings on the nature of the soul.
During the Renaissance period, the name Kedon gained popularity among some European aristocratic families, particularly in Italy and France. One notable figure from this time was Kedon de Medici, a member of the powerful Medici family in Florence, Italy, who lived in the 15th century CE. He was known for his patronage of the arts and his contributions to the cultural renaissance of the time.
In more recent history, the name Kedon has been relatively uncommon, but it has been used by a few notable individuals. For example, Kedon Slovis was an American football player who played quarterback for the University of Southern California in the early 2000s.
While the name Kedon has its roots in ancient Sumerian culture, it has been adapted and used by various cultures throughout history, each adding their own unique interpretations and associations to its meaning and significance.
People
Kedon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kedon as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kedon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kedon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kedon going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Kedon a common name?
We classify Kedon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kedon most popular?
The single biggest year for Kedon was 2021, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kedon is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Kedon in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kedon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kedon in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Kedon still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kedon in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Kedon can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Kedon?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Kedon at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.