Total births
9,123
Unisex name · since 1951
Kendal
9,123 babies named Kendal in U.S. Social Security records since 1951, with the highest year being 2004. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #3588
- among girls today
- 9,123
- born since 1951
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other girls
9,123 babies have been named Kendal since 1951, making it today's #3588 unisex name.
Kendal has 9,123 recorded births among girls since 1951, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3588 as of the latest data, more common than 80% of girls, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1951 to 2025.
- #3588 among girls today
- 9,123 born since 1951
- 2000s peak decade
- 80% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kendal is currently the #3588 unisex name in America, more common than 80% of girls - 9,123 born since 1951, peaking in the 2000s.
- #3588
- among girls today
- 9,123
- born since 1951
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other girls
Kendal vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3588
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 80% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
37% of everyone ever named Kendal was born in this single decade.
2004
Single peak year
565 babies were named Kendal in 2004 - its busiest year on record.
How Kendal compares
9,123 Top 9% higher than 91% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kendal's all-time total is 24x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kendal | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 9,123 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 565 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kendal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kendal's SSA record in two at 1989 and the more recent half accounts for 86% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 14%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1951, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2004 peak of 565, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kendal at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2004
Current rank
#3,588
Active since
1951
Kendal popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1951–2025
- Peak year (2004)
- 565
- Annual births at peak, across 75 years of records
Kendal popularity over time - boys
4,677 total births recorded since 1915 (Kendal as boys' name)
Kendal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Kendal's strongest decade.
3,415 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Kendal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 68
1950s
68 births
- 1960s 158
1960s
158 births
- 1970s 267
1970s
267 births
- 1980s 906
1980s
906 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,926 births
- 2000s
2000s
3,415 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,028 births
- 2020s 355
2020s
355 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 3,415 births (37% of all-time use).
How Kendal compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Kendal's total volume
Kendal vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kendal by state
Where Kendal concentrates geographically, total births since 1951
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 767 | 8.4% |
| #2 | California | | 651 | 7.1% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 474 | 5.2% |
| #4 | Florida | | 423 | 4.6% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 362 | 4.0% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 310 | 3.4% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 305 | 3.3% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 265 | 2.9% |
Texas share of Kendal's total US births 8.4%
Even split
767 of 9,123 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 38 reporting states.
Kendal appears in 38 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kendal? ▼
Since 1951, Social Security records show 9,123 babies named Kendal. Today it holds rank #3588 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2004, with 565 births.
When was Kendal most popular? ▼
Kendal was most popular in the 2000s decade with 3,415 total births. The single peak year was 2004.
Where is Kendal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kendal are Texas (767 births), California (651 births), Ohio (474 births).
Is Kendal a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kendal is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 9,123 births, and as a boy's name it has 4,677 births.
How long has the name Kendal been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kendal since 1951 -- 75 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kendal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kendra, Kennedy, Kendall, Kenya, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kendal's data
- Kendal's decade-level peak was the 2000s (3,415 total births); usage has since declined to 355 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Kendals (767 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kendal
Nearby Names Like Kendal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kendal
Kendra Girl
#686 98,438 births
Kennedy Girl
#89 93,663 births
Kendall Girl
#311 66,533 births
Kenya Girl
#1659 25,412 births
Kenzie Girl
#628 21,391 births
Compare Kendal side by side: Kendal vs Kendra Kendal vs Kennedy Kendal vs Kendall
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kendal
Marly #3587
1,660 births · Peak 2008
Lilliann #3589
1,258 births · Peak 2009
Myrah #3586
786 births · Peak 2016
Odalys #3590
3,424 births · Peak 1996
Bayla #3585
1,066 births · Peak 2014
Grayson #3591
4,190 births · Peak 2007
Gwenevere #3584
1,199 births · Peak 2019
Miri #3592
871 births · Peak 2022
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1951–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kendal: #3588 Unisex Name - 9,123 Births, Peak 2004." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kendal. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Kendal draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.