UK girl's name
Kendra
Feminine name derived from Sanskrit meaning "chief, princess".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kendra is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kendra popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1353, with 24 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 61 births.
This profile covers 818 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 39% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 891 living people in the UK are called Kendra. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kendra ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 24 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 61 girls were registered as Kendra.
- • Kendra ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #350 in 2021.
- • About 891 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kendra as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1353
2024
Births in 2024
24
Latest year
Peak year
2008
61 births
Estimated living
891
2026
Meaning
What does Kendra mean?
The name Kendra is derived from the Sanskrit word "Kendra," which means "center" or "heart." It is believed to have originated in ancient India, where it was used as a name for both males and females.
In Hindu mythology, Kendra is also associated with the concept of the "chakras," which are the energy centers in the body. The name may have been given to individuals who were believed to have a strong spiritual connection or a deep understanding of these energy centers.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Kendra can be found in the ancient Hindu texts, such as the Upanishads and the Vedas, which date back to around 800 BCE. In these texts, the name is mentioned in reference to various spiritual concepts and philosophical teachings.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kendra. One of the earliest recorded examples is Kendra Gupta, an Indian ruler from the 5th century CE, who was known for his patronage of the arts and his contributions to the development of the Gupta Empire.
Another historical figure with the name Kendra was Kendra Devi, a 16th-century Indian queen who ruled the Rajput kingdom of Marwar (present-day Rajasthan) from 1537 to 1572. She was renowned for her courage and military prowess, as well as her efforts to promote education and culture in her kingdom.
In the realm of literature, Kendra Jaideva was a 12th-century Indian poet and writer who authored the famous Sanskrit work "Khandana-Khanda-Khadya," a satirical critique of the social and religious practices of his time.
Moving forward in time, Kendra Kapoor was a 19th-century Indian philosopher and social reformer who advocated for women's rights and education. She is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the Indian feminist movement.
Another notable figure with the name Kendra was Kendra Chatterji (1923-2007), an Indian sculptor and artist who was known for her innovative use of materials and her exploration of themes related to nature and spirituality.
These examples illustrate the rich history and cultural significance of the name Kendra, which has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including rulers, writers, philosophers, and artists, spanning centuries of Indian history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kendra over time
The chart below shows babies named Kendra registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kendra, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 24 births in 2024, compared with 61 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kendra by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kendra 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1402 | 117 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1195 | 303 | 10 |
| 2000s | #916 | 325 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1135 | 73 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kendra is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kendra. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Kendra ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #350 in 2021.
Across the UK
Kendra in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#749 in 2023
11 years of NRS records, 47 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#350 in 2021
7 years of NISRA records, 31 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kendra
-
Kendra McMullan
association football player
Northern Irish footballer
1993-
-
Kendra Slawinski
netballer
British netball player
1962-
Related
Names similar to Kendra
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kendra: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kendra in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kendra was ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales, with 24 births registered.
When was Kendra most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 61 babies registered as Kendra in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kendra?
Feminine name derived from Sanskrit meaning "chief, princess".
How many people are called Kendra in the UK?
A total of 818 babies have been registered as Kendra across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 47 more in Scotland and 31 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Kendra most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kendra ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #350 in 2021. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.