Kente
An African name originating from Ghana, referring to a handwoven cloth.
Name Census estimates that about 52 living Americans carry the first name Kente. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kente today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kente births was 1977 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kente. 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 Kente. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
52
~ 1 in 6,591,430 Americans
Peak year
1977
19 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
2001 SSA rank
#9,955
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Kente: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kente from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 26 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kente 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 Kente 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 Kente
The name Kente is derived from the Akan language spoken by the Ashanti people of Ghana and other parts of West Africa. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century, during the height of the Ashanti Empire. The name is closely associated with the famous Kente cloth, a vibrant and intricately woven fabric that has become a symbol of African heritage and pride.
Kente is thought to be derived from the Akan word "kenten," which means "basket." This is likely a reference to the unique and intricate patterns found in traditional Kente weaving, which resemble woven baskets. The cloth itself has deep cultural significance, often being worn during important ceremonies, festivals, and other special occasions.
While the name Kente does not appear to have been recorded in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been a part of Akan culture for centuries. The earliest recorded instances of the name are found in oral histories and traditional stories passed down through generations of Ashanti people.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the name Kente was Nana Kente Kodwo, an Ashanti chief who ruled in the late 18th century. He was known for his leadership and wisdom during a time of conflict and upheaval in the region.
Another notable figure with the name Kente was Kente Blankson, a 19th-century Ghanaian merchant and trader. He played a significant role in the expansion of trade routes between coastal regions and the interior of West Africa.
In the 20th century, Kente Brewu Lamptey was a prominent Ghanaian educator and academic. Born in 1902, he dedicated his life to improving educational opportunities for Ghanaian youth and promoting the study of African history and culture.
Kente Bright was a celebrated Ghanaian musician and composer, born in 1924. He was instrumental in popularizing highlife music, a genre that blended traditional African styles with Western influences.
Finally, Kente Masle was a renowned Ghanaian artist and sculptor, born in 1935. His works, often incorporating Kente cloth motifs, celebrated the rich cultural heritage of Ghana and helped bring African art to a global audience.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Kente, a name that continues to hold significant cultural and historical meaning for the Ashanti people and others of Akan descent.
People
Kente + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kente 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
Kente: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kente?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 52 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kente 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 6,591,430 US residents.
Is Kente a common name?
We classify Kente as "Very Rare". It ranks above 54.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 55 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kente most popular?
The single biggest year for Kente was 1977, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kente is about 41 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 Kente in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kente a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kente 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 Kente still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kente 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 Kente 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 Kente?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Kente at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.