Given name & surname
Kenny
“born of fire”·“handsome, fair one”·“born of the fire; an attractive man”
Kenny is an affectionate form of Kenneth. Interpretations include “born of fire”, “handsome, fair one”, and “born of the fire; an attractive man” (Irish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Kenny is an affectionate form of Kenneth. Interpretations include “born of fire”, “handsome, fair one”, and “born of the fire; an attractive man” (Irish). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Irish Gaelic.
How it developed
Kenny is used as a form of Irish.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1908. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kenny through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 52,479
- 51,931 boys · 548 girls
- Most popular year
- 1960
- 1,949 babies
- 2025
- 161
- #1,271 for boys · #14,076 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −27%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 155 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,271 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 29.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,934 in 1960. It also appeared in 6 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (20). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 51,666 as a first name in 2020; 16,474 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.
Kenny’s family of names
In English usage, Kenny is a diminutive of Kenneth. Kenny has a related form in Ken. Kenny is an affectionate form of Kenneth.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Kenny has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
3 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
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 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Kenny
- Kenny RogersAmerican country singer (1938–2020)
- Kenny DalglishScottish association football player and managerborn 1951
- Kenny GAmerican saxophonistborn 1956
- Kenny CunninghamCosta Rican association football playerborn 1985
- Kenny BakerBritish actor and musician (1934–2016)
- Kenny TeteDutch association football player (born 1995)
- Kenny ClarkeAmerican jazz drummer (1914–1985)
- Kenny LogginsAmerican singer and guitarist (born 1948)
- Kenny BednarekAmerican sprinterborn 1998
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Kenny, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kevin
“a beloved and handsome man”
>99% boys
Barry
“a fair-haired man”
>99% boys
Jeffery
“a man of peace”
>99% boys
Glenn
“from the valley between the hills” · “from the secluded narrow valley”
>99% boys
Dwayne
“a dark or swarthy man”
>99% boys
Neil
“the champion”
>99% boys
Peter
“as solid and strong as a rock”
>99% boys
Jan
“God is gracious”
96% boys · 4% girls