NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Kenda

An Anglicized form of a Native American name of unknown meaning.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kenda is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kenda popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5591, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2015 to 2019. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Kenda. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2020 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kenda ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2015, when 3 girls were registered as Kenda.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kenda as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5591

2019

Births in 2019

3

Latest year

Peak year

2015

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Kenda mean?

The name Kenda has its origins in the Kikuyu language, spoken by the Kikuyu people of Kenya. It is thought to have derived from the Kikuyu word "kenda," which means "to journey" or "to travel." The name is believed to have been in use as early as the 16th century among the Kikuyu people, who have a rich cultural heritage and oral tradition.

While the name Kenda does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that it was used by the Kikuyu people in their oral histories and storytelling traditions. Unfortunately, many of these oral histories were not recorded or documented until more recent times.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kenda is from the late 19th century. Kenda Muriithi was a Kikuyu leader and warrior who played a significant role in the Kenyan resistance against British colonial rule in the late 1800s. He was born around 1860 and died in the early 20th century.

Another notable figure with the name Kenda is Kenda Muir, a Scottish artist and sculptor who lived from 1876 to 1944. She was known for her intricate woodcarvings and sculptures, many of which depicted scenes from Scottish folklore and mythology.

In the 20th century, Kenda Adrion was an American actress and singer who appeared in several Broadway productions and films in the 1940s and 1950s. She was born in 1920 and passed away in 2002.

Kenda Perez was a Peruvian politician and activist who fought for women's rights and indigenous rights in Peru. She served as a member of the Peruvian Congress from 1995 to 2000. Kenda Perez was born in 1952 and is still living.

Kenda Bright was an Australian artist and sculptor who worked primarily with ceramics and bronze. She was known for her abstract and figurative works that explored themes of nature and the human form. Kenda Bright was born in 1935 and died in 2018.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kenda over time

The chart below shows babies named Kenda registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kenda, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kenda
01223201520172019

Decades

Kenda by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kenda was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #5661 6 2

Related

Names similar to Kenda

FAQ

Kenda: questions and answers

How popular is the name Kenda in the UK right now?

In 2019, Kenda was ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Kenda most popular?

The peak year on record was 2015, with 3 babies registered as Kenda in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kenda?

An Anglicized form of a Native American name of unknown meaning.

How many people are called Kenda in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Kenda across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.