Total births
644
Girls' name · since 1962
Kendi
Since 1962, U.S. Social Security records show 644 babies named Kendi, peaking in 2007. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9686
- among girls today
- 644
- born since 1962
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other girls
Kendi currently ranks #9686 among girls' names in America, with 644 babies recorded since 1962.
Social Security Administration records show Kendi recorded 644 times among girls since 1962, holding rank #9686 nationally today, ahead of 45% of girls, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1962 to 2025.
- #9686 among girls today
- 644 born since 1962
- 2000s peak decade
- 45% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kendi is currently the #9686 girls' name in America, more common than 45% of girls - 644 born since 1962, peaking in the 2000s.
- #9686
- among girls today
- 644
- born since 1962
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 45%
- more common than other girls
Kendi vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#9686
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 45% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Kendi was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
31 babies were named Kendi in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
How Kendi compares
644 Top 40% higher than 60% 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
Kendi's all-time total is 69% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kendi | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 644 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 31 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kendi's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kendi splits its recorded history at 1996: 60% of all births land in the more recent half, 40% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1962 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2007 peak of 31 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kendi at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2007
Current rank
#9,686
Active since
1962
Kendi popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1962–2025
- Peak year (2007)
- 31
- Annual births at peak, across 64 years of records
Kendi popularity over time - boys
24 total births recorded since 2020 (Kendi as boys' name)
Kendi by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Kendi's strongest decade.
162 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Kendi births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 17
1960s
17 births
- 1970s
1970s
89 births
- 1980s
1980s
91 births
- 1990s
1990s
88 births
- 2000s
2000s
162 births
- 2010s
2010s
131 births
- 2020s
2020s
66 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 162 births (25% of all-time use).
How Kendi 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 Kendi's total volume
Kendi vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kendi by state
Where Kendi concentrates geographically, total births since 1962
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kendi? ▼
Since 1962, Social Security records show 644 babies named Kendi. Today it holds rank #9686 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2007, with 31 births.
When was Kendi most popular? ▼
Kendi was most popular in the 2000s decade with 162 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Where is Kendi most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kendi are Texas (11 births), Oklahoma (5 births).
How long has the name Kendi been used? ▼
Records for Kendi go back to 1962, giving 64 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kendi? ▼
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 Kendi's data
- Kendi's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (162 total births) through the 2020s (66) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Kendis (11 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 Kendi
Nearby Names Like Kendi
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kendi
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 Kendi side by side: Kendi vs Kendra Kendi vs Kennedy Kendi vs Kendall
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kendi
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, 1962–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kendi: #9686 Girls' Name - 644 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kendi. 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 Kendi 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.