NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Kenton

From an English surname meaning "town of the descendants of Cēna".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kenton is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kenton popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4107, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 10 births.

This profile covers 138 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. 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 40% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 137 living people in the UK are called Kenton. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kenton ranked #4107 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2015, when 10 boys were registered as Kenton.
  • About 137 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kenton as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4107

2023

Births in 2023

4

Latest year

Peak year

2015

10 births

Estimated living

137

2026

Meaning

What does Kenton mean?

The name Kenton has its roots in the Old English language and is believed to have originated in the Anglo-Saxon era, dating back to the 5th century CE. It is derived from the Old English words "cyne" meaning "royal" or "kingly" and "tun" meaning "town" or "enclosure". The name was likely given to someone who lived in or was associated with a royal town or settlement.

During the Middle Ages, the name Kenton appeared in various historical records and documents, particularly in areas where Old English was spoken, such as parts of England and Scotland. One notable bearer of the name was Kenton of Kenton, a 12th-century Norman knight and landowner whose family held the manor of Kenton in Suffolk, England.

In the 16th century, the name Kenton gained popularity among English Protestants, as it was seen as a strong and noble name with a connection to the English heritage. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in 1587 when Kenton Deane, an English soldier and explorer, was born in Warwickshire, England.

Another famous bearer of the name was Kenton Brewster (1601-1668), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of St. Giles' Church in London. His notable work, "The Expositor's Bible," was widely read and influential in its time.

In the 18th century, Kenton Jarvis (1738-1808) was a prominent American lawyer and politician from Maryland. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and was a strong supporter of American independence during the Revolutionary War.

During the 19th century, the name Kenton gained further recognition through the exploits of Simon Kenton (1755-1836), an American frontiersman and explorer who played a significant role in the settlement of the Ohio Valley and the Northwest Territory. He was known for his skills as a woodsman and his encounters with Native American tribes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kenton over time

The chart below shows babies named Kenton registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kenton, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 10 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kenton
035810199620092023

Decades

Kenton by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kenton 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 #3001 20 3
2010s #3397 50 9
2000s #2731 53 10
1990s #2092 15 3

Related

Names similar to Kenton

FAQ

Kenton: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Kenton was ranked #4107 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Kenton most popular?

The peak year on record was 2015, with 10 babies registered as Kenton in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kenton?

From an English surname meaning "town of the descendants of Cēna".

How many people are called Kenton in the UK?

A total of 138 babies have been registered as Kenton across the 25 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.