Kendal
From Old English Cent + dæl = "valley of the river Kent".
Every Kendal since 1915 — 13,800 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kendal
Kendal is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,276 in 2025 with 48 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1915, 13,800 American babies have been named Kendal — about 66% girls and 34% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2004, when 657 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
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 Kendal stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kendal 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 | 48 | #3,276 | 12 | #7,010 |
| 2024 | 43 | #3,610 | 30 | #3,743 |
| 2023 | 55 | #3,035 | 27 | #4,069 |
| 2022 | 66 | #2,651 | 35 | #3,382 |
| 2021 | 68 | #2,576 | 26 | #4,074 |
| 2020 | 75 | #2,363 | 39 | #3,003 |
| 2019 | 90 | #2,100 | 37 | #3,168 |
| 2018 | 99 | #1,991 | 28 | #3,837 |
| 2017 | 86 | #2,209 | 37 | #3,163 |
| 2016 | 142 | #1,569 | 41 | #2,912 |
| 2015 | 194 | #1,262 | 49 | #2,549 |
| 2014 | 225 | #1,126 | 51 | #2,477 |
| 2013 | 234 | #1,065 | 55 | #2,318 |
| 2012 | 313 | #854 | 75 | #1,917 |
| 2011 | 346 | #786 | 75 | #1,881 |
| 2010 | 299 | #887 | 97 | #1,620 |
| 2009 | 361 | #783 | 53 | #2,424 |
| 2008 | 352 | #815 | 59 | #2,251 |
| 2007 | 298 | #912 | 74 | #1,921 |
| 2006 | 333 | #819 | 81 | #1,733 |
| 2005 | 417 | #666 | 75 | #1,764 |
| 2004 | 565 | #513 | 92 | #1,479 |
| 2003 | 373 | #704 | 70 | #1,743 |
| 2002 | 295 | #795 | 96 | #1,375 |
| 2001 | 211 | #1,017 | 85 | #1,456 |
| 2000 | 210 | #1,009 | 95 | #1,348 |
| 1995 | 232 | #844 | 121 | #1,011 |
| 1990 | 117 | #1,359 | 135 | #888 |
| 1985 | 93 | #1,388 | 69 | #1,119 |
| 1980 | 37 | #2,561 | 50 | #1,333 |
| 1975 | 16 | #4,025 | 40 | #1,391 |
| 1970 | 35 | #2,254 | 49 | #1,187 |
| 1965 | 22 | #2,644 | 31 | #1,394 |
| 1960 | 16 | #3,151 | 38 | #1,280 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,276 | 25 | #1,558 |
| 1950 | — | — | 19 | #1,726 |
| 1945 | — | — | 16 | #1,735 |
| 1940 | — | — | 9 | #2,581 |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | 8 | #3,160 |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | 5 | #4,117 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kendal mean?
From Old English Cent + dæl = "valley of the river Kent".
How popular is the name Kendal in 2025?
Kendal ranked #3,276 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 48 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kendal?
13,800 babies have been named Kendal in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kendal most popular?
Kendal peaked in 2004, when 657 newborns received the name.
Is Kendal a boy or girl name?
Kendal is used for both: about 66% of babies named Kendal have been girls and 34% boys.
Is the name Kendal rising or falling?
Kendal is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.