NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Kennedi

A feminine form of the Irish surname Kennedy, originally meaning "descendant of the helmeted chief.".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kennedi is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kennedi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4535, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 7 births.

This profile covers 42 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 1998 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 48 living people in the UK are called Kennedi. 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 2021 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kennedi ranked #4535 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 7 girls were registered as Kennedi.
  • Kennedi ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #744 in 2007.
  • About 48 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kennedi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4535

2020

Births in 2020

4

Latest year

Peak year

2008

7 births

Estimated living

48

2026

Meaning

What does Kennedi mean?

The name Kennedi is a relatively modern name that emerged in the 20th century. It is likely derived from the Irish surname Kennedy, which itself is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Cinnéideigh. The Gaelic name is believed to have originated from the word "cinnéidigh," meaning "descendant of the ugly-headed one."

While the name Kennedi does not have a long historical lineage, it gained popularity in the United States after the election of President John F. Kennedy in 1960. Kennedi became a fashionable name for baby girls, perhaps as a tribute to the charismatic Kennedy family.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kennedi was in 1962, when American actress and model Kennedi Finlayson was born. However, the name did not gain widespread usage until the late 20th century.

Several notable individuals have borne the first name Kennedi throughout history. One example is Kennedi Dickson (1915-1992), an American tennis player who competed in the U.S. Championships and Wimbledon in the 1940s.

Another prominent figure was Kennedi Kai Olesen (1913-1992), a Danish-American artist known for her abstract expressionist paintings and sculptures.

In the field of literature, Kennedi Taylor (1923-2008) was an American author and poet known for her works exploring African American culture and experiences.

Additionally, Kennedi Huff (1935-2018) was a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1986 to 1993.

Kennedi Carpenter (1942-2001) was an American country music singer and songwriter who achieved success in the 1970s with hits like "Lonely Street" and "Warm Lovin' Arms."

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the first name Kennedi throughout history, showcasing its emergence and usage in various fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kennedi over time

The chart below shows babies named Kennedi registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kennedi, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2020, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kennedi
02457199820092020

Decades

Kennedi by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kennedi 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 #4535 4 1
2010s #5039 15 4
2000s #3936 19 4
1990s #3142 4 1

Geography

Where Kennedi is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kennedi. 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.

Kennedi ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #744 in 2007.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Kennedi in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#744 in 2007

2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered

Related

Names similar to Kennedi

FAQ

Kennedi: questions and answers

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

In 2020, Kennedi was ranked #4535 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Kennedi most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 7 babies registered as Kennedi in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kennedi?

A feminine form of the Irish surname Kennedy, originally meaning "descendant of the helmeted chief.".

How many people are called Kennedi in the UK?

A total of 42 babies have been registered as Kennedi across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.

Where is Kennedi most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Kennedi ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #744 in 2007. 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.