Kenward
Of Anglo-Saxon origin, a protective enclosure or guardian.
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Kenward. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kenward today is around 77 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kenward births was 1945 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kenward. 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
- • The typical person named Kenward is about 77 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Kenwards were born before 1959.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kenward. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1945
8 babies that year
Average age
77
years old
1962 SSA rank
#3,840
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Kenward: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kenward from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 14 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1940s peak, Kenward remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kenward 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 Kenward 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 Kenward
The name Kenward is of Old English origin, derived from the elements "cene" meaning "bold" or "brave" and "weard" meaning "guardian" or "protector." It likely emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD, when Old English names were prevalent.
The name Kenward is not widely documented in ancient texts or religious scriptures, as it was a relatively uncommon name even in its time. However, some of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in medieval English records and documents from the 12th to 15th centuries.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Kenward was Kenward de Bury, a landowner and nobleman who lived in the 13th century in the county of Suffolk, England. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Kenward Hastings, a knight and military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War between England and France in the 14th century.
During the Renaissance period, a renowned Kenward was Kenward Digby, an English philosopher, and author who lived from 1603 to 1665. He is best known for his works on natural philosophy and his theories on the concept of body and soul.
In the 18th century, Kenward Philips was a prominent English engraver and painter, known for his intricate etchings and portraits of notable figures of the time.
Moving into the 19th century, Kenward Browning was an English poet and playwright, born in 1812, who was part of the Romantic literary movement. Although not as famous as his contemporaries, his works explored themes of nature and human emotions.
While the name Kenward has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, these individuals have left their mark in various fields, showcasing the diversity and significance of this Old English name.
People
Kenward + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kenward 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
Kenward: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kenward?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kenward 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 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Kenward a common name?
We classify Kenward as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 35 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kenward most popular?
The single biggest year for Kenward was 1945, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kenward is about 77 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 Kenward in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kenward a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kenward 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 Kenward still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kenward 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 Kenward 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 Kenward?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.