Kennedy
KEN-uh-dee /ˈkɛn.ə.di/
Meaning of Kennedy
Kennedy is the anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Cinnéide — 'descendant of Cinnéide,' a personal name from ceann ('head') + éidigh ('armoured'). The presidential surname association (John F. Kennedy) kept it in circulation as a name, and it moved decisively toward girls in US charts through the 2010s.
Current popularity of Kennedy
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #50 |
Notable bearers of Kennedy
John F. Kennedy (35th US President); Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Kennedy — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31