Ken Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis

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Summary

The name Ken originates from the Scottish Gaelic 'Coinneach', meaning 'handsome' or 'born of fire'. It evolved through historical forms such as Coinneach and Kenneth. Ken is perceived as a classic and friendly name today. It has no biblical relevance and gained popularity in the 20th century. Notable people with this name include Ken Follett, Ken Burns, and Ken Jeong.

The name Ken is most popular in Hawaii, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Baby Boomers generation in the West region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Ken has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, falling for male in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for male in West. Across generations, 'Ken' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 1402nd out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 381st out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 237th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 410th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 903rd out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 1322nd out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 2245th out of 23106 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 11010th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 16521st out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 27321st out of 27321 names. Discover how the name 'Ken' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.

Etymology & Cultural Background of "Ken"

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Pronunciation

/kɛn/

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Origin

Scottish

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Etymology

Ken is derived from the Scottish Gaelic name 'Coinneach', which means 'handsome' or 'born of fire'.

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Meaning

handsome, born of fire

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Language Evolution

Coinneach, Ken, Kenneth

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Historical Usage

Ken gained popularity as a given name in the 20th century, often used as a short form of Kenneth.

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Variants & Derivatives

Kenneth, Kenny, Kensington

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Modern Popularity & Image

Currently, Ken is seen as a classic name that evokes a friendly and approachable image, often associated with the popular doll, Ken, from the Barbie franchise.

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Famous People

Ken Follett, Ken Burns, Ken Jeong

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Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Ken"

Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.

Yearly Ranking History of "Ken"

"Ken" Popularity Across American Generations

Generation Gender Rank Total Names
G.I. Generation (1901-1927) Boy 1402nd of 7545 429
Silent Generation (1928-1945) Boy 381st of 6773 4,163
Baby Boomers (1946-1964) Boy 237th of 7552 17,816
Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) Boy 410th of 10718 6,050
Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) Boy 903rd of 16616 1,931
Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) Boy 1322nd of 24088 1,839
Generation Alpha (2013-2024) Boy 2245th of 23106 744
Baby Boomers (1946-1964) Girl 11010th of 12526 10
Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) Girl 16521st of 19264 10
Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) Girl 27321st of 27321 5

Regional Popularity of "Ken" by Generation for Male Names

TOP(%) MidWest Northeast South West
G.I. Generation
(1901-1927)
74.79%
1059th/1416
78.61%
1084th/1379
- 45.01%
514th/1142
Silent Generation
(1928-1945)
18.24%
282nd/1546
29.37%
457th/1556
27.50%
647th/2353
13.64%
211th/1547
Baby Boomers
(1946-1964)
9.12%
203rd/2227
11.52%
280th/2430
11.64%
332nd/2853
5.95%
165th/2775
Generation X (Gen X)
(1965-1980)
12.67%
372nd/2937
13.72%
478th/3483
12.91%
454th/3518
8.36%
338th/4044
Millennials (Gen Y)
(1981-1996)
34.36%
1266th/3685
19.55%
875th/4475
21.10%
1096th/5194
11.26%
711th/6317
Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers)
(1997-2012)
38.37%
1758th/4582
22.85%
1180th/5164
23.44%
1714th/7313
12.69%
947th/7463
Generation Alpha
(2013-2024)
- 52.98%
2377th/4487
37.38%
2550th/6822
22.90%
1437th/6276

Regional Popularity of "Ken" by Generation for Female Names

TOP(%) MidWest Northeast South West
G.I. Generation
(1901-1927)
- - - -
Silent Generation
(1928-1945)
- - - -
Baby Boomers
(1946-1964)
- - - -
Generation X (Gen X)
(1965-1980)
- - - -
Millennials (Gen Y)
(1981-1996)
- - - -
Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers)
(1997-2012)
- - - -
Generation Alpha
(2013-2024)
- - - -

State-by-State Popularity of "Ken"

This map shows the relative popularity of "Ken" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.