Kennan
Variant form of Irish "Cianán" meaning "ancient, enduring one".
Name Census estimates that about 1,205 living Americans carry the first name Kennan. It is a predominantly male name (95.8% of registrations). The average person named Kennan today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kennan births was 2000 (46 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kennan. 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
- • Although Kennan is used almost entirely for boys, the SSA data does show 53 girls registered with the name since 1880.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 284,443 Americans
Peak year
2000
46 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,307
Tracked since 1952
Gender
Gender distribution for Kennan
Kennan leans heavily male at 95.8% of total registrations, but 53 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Kennan as a male name
- Ranked #6,307 in 2024
- 14 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2004 (41 births)
Kennan as a female name
- Ranked #17,600 in 2016
- 5 female births in 2016
- Peak: 2000 (11 births)
Popularity
Kennan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kennan from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 328 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kennan 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 Kennan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kennans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Kennan, while Illinois, Georgia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kennan
The name Kennan is believed to have originated in Ireland, derived from the Gaelic word "cionn" meaning "head" or "leader." It was a popular name among the ancient Irish clans and was often bestowed upon those expected to take on leadership roles within their communities.
The earliest recorded use of the name Kennan dates back to the 7th century, when it appeared in various Irish annals and historical records. It was particularly prevalent among the Uí Néill dynasty, one of the most powerful and influential families in medieval Ireland.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Kennan was Kennan of Duleek, an Irish monk and scholar who lived in the 8th century. He was renowned for his extensive knowledge of the scriptures and his contributions to the preservation of ancient Irish manuscripts.
In the 11th century, Kennan O'Hara was a prominent chieftain of the O'Hara clan in County Sligo, Ireland. He is remembered for his bravery and leadership during the Irish wars against the Anglo-Norman invaders.
Another notable figure was Kennan O'Donnell, born in 1455, who served as the Lord of Tyrconnell and played a significant role in the political and military affairs of Ireland during the 15th century.
During the 16th century, Kennan O'Rourke was a renowned Irish poet and scholar from County Leitrim. His works were highly regarded and contributed to the preservation of the Irish language and culture.
In more recent times, Kennan Ivory Wayans, born in 1958, is an American actor, comedian, and writer, best known for creating the iconic sketch comedy show "In Living Color" and for his work in various films and television shows.
While the name Kennan has its roots in ancient Irish culture, it has since gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries, as a unique and distinctive name with a rich historical background.
People
Kennan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kennan 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
Kennan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kennan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,205 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kennan 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 284,443 US residents.
Is Kennan a common name?
We classify Kennan as "Rare". It ranks above 91.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,263 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kennan most popular?
The single biggest year for Kennan was 2000, when 46 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kennan is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kennan a male name?
Yes, 95.8% of people registered as Kennan 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.