Kendin
A name of Turkish origin meaning "yourself" or "your own self".
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Kendin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kendin today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kendin births was 2015 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kendin. 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 Kendin. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
2015
7 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2015 SSA rank
#10,127
Tracked since 2011
Popularity
Kendin: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kendin 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 Kendin during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 13 | 0 | 13 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kendin
The name Kendin has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known written languages in the world, dating back to around 3500 BCE. It is believed to have been derived from the Sumerian word "ken-din," which translates to "strong leader" or "wise ruler." The name was commonly used among the ruling classes of Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization located in modern-day Iraq.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kendin can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian epic poem that dates back to around 2100 BCE. In the epic, Kendin is mentioned as a revered king of the city-state of Uruk, known for his wisdom, strength, and leadership abilities.
Throughout the centuries, the name Kendin has been associated with notable figures in various cultures and civilizations. In ancient Greece, the philosopher Kendin of Ephesus (c. 480 BCE – 410 BCE) was renowned for his teachings on ethics and virtue. During the Roman Empire, Kendin Maximus (c. 150 CE – 215 CE) was a respected military commander and statesman who played a crucial role in defending the empire's borders.
The name Kendin also appears in some ancient religious texts. In the sacred Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas, Kendin is mentioned as a wise sage and spiritual teacher. In the Buddhist tradition, there is a reference to a monk named Kendin who was highly respected for his profound understanding of the dharma.
In the Middle Ages, Kendin al-Andalusi (c. 1050 CE – 1120 CE) was an influential mathematician and astronomer from the Andalusian region of Spain. His contributions to the fields of algebra and trigonometry were instrumental in advancing scientific knowledge during that time.
Another notable figure bearing the name Kendin was the 16th-century Italian painter and architect Kendin Palladio (1508 – 1580), whose works had a significant impact on the development of Renaissance architecture and influenced subsequent generations of architects and designers.
While the name Kendin has its roots in ancient Sumerian culture, it has transcended time and geographic boundaries, appearing in various forms and contexts throughout history, often associated with individuals of great wisdom, leadership, and accomplishment.
People
Kendin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kendin 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
Kendin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kendin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kendin 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Kendin a common name?
We classify Kendin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kendin most popular?
The single biggest year for Kendin was 2015, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kendin is about 13 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 Kendin in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kendin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kendin 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 Kendin still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kendin 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 Kendin 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 have the name Kendin?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Kendin on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.