Given name & surname · also English, Old English
Kendrick
“a royal ruler”·“the champion”
Kendrick is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a royal ruler” and “the champion”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a royal ruler” and “the champion”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Celtic and Old English naming traditions. The precise derivation is uncertain.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1912. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kendrick through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 33,942
- 33,557 boys · 385 girls
- Most popular year
- 2013
- 1,054 babies
- 2025
- 564
- #535 for boys · #16,136 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −15%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 559 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 535 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 14.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,047 in 2013. It also appeared in 5 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (61). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 23,191 as a first name in 2020; 26,142 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.
Kendrick’s family of names
In Cebuano usage, Kendrick has a diminutive in KENKEN. Kendrick has a feminine form in Kendra. Kendrick has a related form in Kenrick.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Kendrick has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Old English roots to each of them.
5 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 22
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Kendrick
- Kendrick LamarAmerican rapper and songwriter (born 1987)
- Kendrick PerkinsAmerican basketball player (born 1984)
- Kendrick NunnAmerican basketball player (born 1995)
- Kendrick MeekAmerican politicianborn 1966
- Kendrick SampsonAmerican actor and activist (born 1988)
- Kendrick PerryAmerican basketball playerborn 1992
- Kendrick RayAmerican basketball player (born 1994)
- Kendrick FarrisAmerican weightlifterborn 1986
- Kendrick BourneAmerican football wide receiverborn 1995
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Kendrick, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kerrick
“under the king's rule”
>99% boys
King
“the royal ruler”
>99% boys
Hendrick
“the ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% boys
Kingston
“from the king's town”
>99% boys
Aldrich
“an old king”
>99% boys
Cendrick
“a royal ruler” · “the champion”
>99% boys
Kenway
“a brave or royal warrior”
>99% boys
Kenmore
“big head”
>99% boys