Kennedi
Kennedi was the 709th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 398 babies. Its best year was 2015, when it ranked 387th with 848 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 322 places. More babies were named Kennedi in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Kennedy) Meaning disputed · Irish
- Rank in 2025
- #709 girls, down 185 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 398girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2015848 babies
- Total since 1880
- 15,552babies recorded
What does the name Kennedi mean?
Kennedi is a spelling of Kennedy, pronounced the same way, so it shares Kennedy's meaning and origin.
Kennedy is the English form of the Irish surname Ó Cinnéide (older Ó Cinnéidigh), 'descendant of Cinnéidigh'. The first part of the personal name is ceann, 'head'. The second is disputed: Wiktionary and Wikipedia give éidigh, 'ugly', making 'ugly head', while the Irish scholar Patrick Woulfe read it as a word for 'armor', making 'helmeted head'. A Scottish Gaelic form gave a Scottish surname as well. Wiktionary describes Kennedy as a unisex first name, and its use for girls as modern and American.
ceann (Irish, “head”)éidigh (Irish, “ugly (one reading)”)
How sure is this? Disputed. 'Ugly head' versus 'helmeted head' (Woulfe); sources disagree on the second element.
Related names: Kennedi, Kenedy, Kenzie.
See also: Irish names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Kennedy', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Kennedy (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Kennedi popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 15 since 2004.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #709 | 398 |
| 2020 | #524 | 578 |
| 2010 | #490 | 617 |
| 2000 | #789 | 291 |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Kennedi, counting every spelling?
Kennedi is a spelling of Kennedy, a name family that ranked #89 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #709 for Kennedi on its own. Together these spellings went to 3,370 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennedy | 2,933 | #85 | 15,418 |
| Kennedi | 398 | #709 | 2,426 |
| Kenedi | 24 | #5,319 | 140 |
| Kennedie | 10 | #9,786 | 78 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Kennedi?
398 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Kennedi (0.11 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Kennedi born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 21 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Kennedi.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Kennedi?
About 15,400 people born in the US named Kennedi are alive today, with a median age of 13; half are between 8 and 19. That makes Kennedi mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Kennedi by state
How common Kennedi was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Mississippi (7.0×), Louisiana (4.5×), Alabama (4.0×), Georgia (3.1×), Arkansas (3.1×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Colorado, California, New Jersey.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Kennedi: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kennedi, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Kennedi
What does Kennedi mean?
The meaning of Kennedy is disputed: 'Ugly head' versus 'helmeted head' (Woulfe); sources disagree on the second element.
How popular is the name Kennedi?
Kennedi was the 709th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 398 babies. Its best year was 2015, when it ranked 387th with 848 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 322 places. More babies were named Kennedi in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Kennedi a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Kennedi in the US.
Where is Kennedi most popular?
In 2021–2025, Kennedi was most common in Mississippi (2.10 per 1,000 girls), followed by Louisiana and Alabama.