Ken
A diminutive of the male given name Kenneth.
Every Ken since 1900 — 33,043 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ken
Ken is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,277 in 2025 with 36 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1900, 33,043 American babies have been named Ken. Its peak came in 1960, when 1,780 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ken stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ken year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 36 | #3,277 |
| 2024 | — | — | 36 | #3,308 |
| 2023 | — | — | 37 | #3,260 |
| 2022 | — | — | 50 | #2,659 |
| 2021 | — | — | 52 | #2,542 |
| 2020 | — | — | 56 | #2,383 |
| 2019 | — | — | 51 | #2,568 |
| 2018 | — | — | 62 | #2,219 |
| 2017 | — | — | 63 | #2,162 |
| 2016 | — | — | 90 | #1,733 |
| 2015 | — | — | 87 | #1,760 |
| 2014 | — | — | 85 | #1,774 |
| 2013 | — | — | 75 | #1,890 |
| 2012 | — | — | 107 | #1,509 |
| 2011 | — | — | 88 | #1,695 |
| 2010 | — | — | 68 | #2,027 |
| 2009 | — | — | 104 | #1,570 |
| 2008 | — | — | 108 | #1,511 |
| 2007 | — | — | 120 | #1,378 |
| 2006 | — | — | 135 | #1,244 |
| 2005 | — | — | 117 | #1,305 |
| 2004 | — | — | 153 | #1,055 |
| 2003 | — | — | 110 | #1,288 |
| 2002 | — | — | 134 | #1,095 |
| 2001 | — | — | 124 | #1,132 |
| 2000 | — | — | 123 | #1,134 |
| 1995 | — | — | 126 | #992 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,062 | 142 | #858 |
| 1985 | — | — | 113 | #850 |
| 1980 | — | — | 141 | #739 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,750 | 156 | #660 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,622 | 486 | #369 |
| 1965 | — | — | 1,100 | #218 |
| 1960 | 5 | #6,820 | 1,775 | #177 |
| 1955 | — | — | 439 | #345 |
| 1950 | — | — | 347 | #362 |
| 1945 | — | — | 479 | #272 |
| 1940 | — | — | 303 | #327 |
| 1935 | — | — | 167 | #440 |
| 1930 | — | — | 76 | #728 |
| 1925 | — | — | 39 | #1,134 |
| 1920 | — | — | 32 | #1,292 |
| 1915 | — | — | 20 | #1,581 |
| 1910 | — | — | 5 | #1,730 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 7 | #1,112 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ken
- Ken Loach Film director · b. 1936
- Ken Miles Racing driver · 1918–1966
- Ken Follett Writer · b. 1949
- Ken Watanabe Actor · b. 1959
- Ken Shimura Singer · 1950–2020
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ken mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Kenneth.
How popular is the name Ken in 2025?
Ken ranked #3,277 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 36 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ken?
33,043 babies have been named Ken in the United States since 1900, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ken most popular?
Ken peaked in 1960, when 1,780 newborns received the name.
Is Ken a boy or girl name?
Ken is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ken rising or falling?
Ken is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ken?
Well-known people named Ken include Ken Loach (film director), Ken Miles (racing driver), Ken Follett (writer).