Kenan
A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.
Every Kenan since 1947 — 4,675 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kenan
Kenan is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,148 in 2025 with 184 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1947, 4,675 American babies have been named Kenan. Its peak came in 2024, when 187 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Kenan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kenan 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 | — | — | 184 | #1,148 |
| 2024 | — | — | 187 | #1,134 |
| 2023 | — | — | 143 | #1,332 |
| 2022 | — | — | 168 | #1,194 |
| 2021 | — | — | 132 | #1,389 |
| 2020 | — | — | 135 | #1,330 |
| 2019 | — | — | 168 | #1,161 |
| 2018 | — | — | 135 | #1,337 |
| 2017 | — | — | 98 | #1,628 |
| 2016 | — | — | 106 | #1,559 |
| 2015 | — | — | 94 | #1,673 |
| 2014 | — | — | 110 | #1,480 |
| 2013 | — | — | 73 | #1,926 |
| 2012 | — | — | 103 | #1,549 |
| 2011 | — | — | 129 | #1,324 |
| 2010 | 5 | #18,464 | 88 | #1,731 |
| 2009 | — | — | 99 | #1,611 |
| 2008 | — | — | 121 | #1,405 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,548 | 104 | #1,521 |
| 2006 | — | — | 104 | #1,472 |
| 2005 | — | — | 107 | #1,395 |
| 2004 | — | — | 94 | #1,463 |
| 2003 | — | — | 98 | #1,378 |
| 2002 | 5 | #16,812 | 114 | #1,213 |
| 2001 | — | — | 98 | #1,332 |
| 2000 | — | — | 106 | #1,249 |
| 1995 | — | — | 82 | #1,302 |
| 1990 | — | — | 41 | #1,885 |
| 1985 | 5 | #11,503 | 34 | #1,776 |
| 1980 | — | — | 38 | #1,580 |
| 1975 | — | — | 29 | #1,730 |
| 1970 | — | — | 12 | #2,800 |
| 1965 | — | — | 19 | #1,837 |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | 10 | #2,674 |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kenan
- Kenan Evren Politician · 1917–2015
- Kenan İmirzalıoğlu Actor · b. 1974
- Kenan Doğulu Singer · b. 1974
- Kenan Thompson Comedian · b. 1978
- Kenan Karaman Soccer player · b. 1994
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kenan mean?
A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.
How popular is the name Kenan in 2025?
Kenan ranked #1,148 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 184 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kenan?
4,675 babies have been named Kenan in the United States since 1947, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kenan most popular?
Kenan peaked in 2024, when 187 newborns received the name.
Is Kenan a boy or girl name?
Kenan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kenan rising or falling?
Kenan is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kenan?
Well-known people named Kenan include Kenan Evren (politician), Kenan İmirzalıoğlu (actor), Kenan Doğulu (singer).