Kedryn
A variant spelling of the Welsh name Cedryn meaning "born of cedars".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Kedryn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kedryn today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kedryn births was 1977 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kedryn. 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 Kedryn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1977
6 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2001 SSA rank
#9,939
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Kedryn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kedryn from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kedryn 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 Kedryn during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kedryn
The name Kedryn has its origins in the ancient Celtic languages spoken across parts of Western Europe and the British Isles. It is believed to have derived from the Proto-Celtic word "kedro," which means "battle" or "warrior." The earliest written records of this name date back to the 5th century CE, when it was used by some Celtic tribes in what is now modern-day Wales and Cornwall.
One of the first documented individuals with the name Kedryn was a Welsh chieftain who lived in the late 5th century. He is mentioned in several medieval Welsh texts as leading his tribe in battles against invading Saxon forces. Unfortunately, not much is known about his life beyond these brief references.
In the 8th century, an Irish monk named Kedryn is said to have traveled to the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland, where he helped establish a religious community. He is credited with writing several religious texts and poems that have been preserved in various monastic libraries.
During the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century, a Norman knight named Kedryn is recorded as having fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He was later granted lands in the English Midlands as a reward for his service.
In the 13th century, a Welsh bard and poet named Kedryn ap Gwilym is known for his romantic and nature-inspired poems, many of which are still studied today. He was highly regarded in his time and is considered one of the most influential figures in Welsh literature.
Another notable figure with this name was Kedryn O'Malley, an Irish chieftain who lived in the 16th century. He is remembered for his resistance against English colonization efforts in Ireland and his attempts to preserve traditional Irish culture and customs.
While the name Kedryn has its roots in Celtic languages, it has been used sporadically throughout history in various parts of Europe and the British Isles. Its meaning and association with warriors and battles have contributed to its enduring appeal as a strong and memorable name.
People
Kedryn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kedryn 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
Kedryn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kedryn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kedryn 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Kedryn a common name?
We classify Kedryn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kedryn most popular?
The single biggest year for Kedryn was 1977, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kedryn is about 35 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 Kedryn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kedryn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kedryn 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 Kedryn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kedryn 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 Kedryn 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 many people are named Kedryn?
Want to know how many Americans are named Kedryn? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.