Kemp
A masculine name of English origin from a surname meaning "warrior" or "champion".
Name Census estimates that about 871 living Americans carry the first name Kemp. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kemp today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kemp births was 1957 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kemp. 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.
People living today
871
~ 1 in 393,518 Americans
Peak year
1957
31 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,018
Tracked since 1898
Popularity
Kemp: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kemp from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 192 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kemp 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 Kemp during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kemps live
Origin
Meaning and history of Kemp
The name Kemp has its origins in the Old English word "cempa," which means "warrior" or "champion." This name was prevalent among Anglo-Saxon communities in England during the Middle Ages.
Kemp is believed to have been derived from the Old English word "camp," meaning "battle" or "contest." It was a name given to those who exhibited bravery and strength in combat or competitions.
In ancient Germanic cultures, names were often chosen to reflect desired qualities or achievements. The name Kemp was likely bestowed upon individuals who had proven their valor in battle or contests of skill.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kemp can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, including "Cempe" and "Kempe."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kemp. One of the most famous was John Kemp (c. 1380-1454), an English cardinal and Lord Chancellor of England during the reign of Henry VI.
Another prominent figure was Sir Nicholas Kemp (c. 1504-1589), an English soldier and naval commander who served under King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the naval campaigns against the Spanish Armada.
In the realm of literature, Kemp was the last name of William Kemp (c. 1560-1619), an English actor and comic playwright who was a member of Shakespeare's acting company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men.
In the field of sports, Jack Kemp (1935-2009) was an American professional football player and politician who served as a Congressman and as the 9th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Lastly, Shawn Kemp (born 1969) is a former American professional basketball player who played in the NBA for several teams, including the Seattle SuperSonics, where he was a six-time NBA All-Star.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Kemp, a name steeped in the tradition of strength, valor, and achievement.
People
Kemp + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kemp 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
Kemp: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kemp?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 871 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kemp 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 393,518 US residents.
Is Kemp a common name?
We classify Kemp as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,286 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kemp most popular?
The single biggest year for Kemp was 1957, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kemp is about 46 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kemp a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kemp 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.
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.