Given name & surname
Kendra
“having royal power; from the high hill”·“a royal ruler”·“the champion”
Kendra is a feminine form of Kendrick. Interpretations include “a royal ruler” and “the champion”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Kendra carries the interpretation “having royal power; from the high hill.” Kendra is a feminine form of Kendrick. Interpretations include “a royal ruler” and “the champion”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
Kendra is used as a feminine counterpart of Kendrick.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1936. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kendra through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 98,788
- 350 boys · 98,438 girls
- Most popular year
- 1987
- 3,863 babies
- 2025
- 320
- #849 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −41%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 320 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 849 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 41.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 3,841 in 1987. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (57). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 84,524 as a first name in 2020; 742 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kendra’s family of names
Kendra is a feminine form of Kendrick. Kendra has a related form in Kindra. In English usage, Kendra has a related form in Kenrick.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Kendra
- Kendra HarrisonAmerican hurdlerborn 1992
- Kendra WilkinsonAmerican television personalityborn 1985
- Kendra HornU.S. representative from Oklahomaborn 1976
- Kendra CocksedgeNew Zealand rugby union player and cricketerborn 1988
- Kendra Zanottoformer American synchronized swimmer, now coachborn 1981
- Kendra ClarkeCanadian sprinterborn 1996
- Kendra WeckerAmerican basketball player (born 1982)
- Kendra DacherFrench freestyle wrestlerborn 1999
- Kendra MorrisAmerican singerborn 1981
Characters named Kendra: Hawkgirl (DC Comics character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Kendra, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kimberly
“of the royal fortress”
>99% girls
Kington
“king”
—
Kinsey
“the king's victory” · “the victorious prince”
>99% girls
Kingswood
“king”
—
Egberta
“wielding the shining sword” · “one who wields a brilliant sword”
11% boys · 89% girls
Conybeare
“king”
—
Kara
“one who is pure” · “dearly loved”
>99% girls
Эльмира
“a princess; daughter born to royalty”
>99% girls