Total births
1,223
Boys' name · since 1952
Kennan
Kennan has 1,223 recorded births since 1952 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2004 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6251
- among boys today
- 1,223
- born since 1952
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 56%
- more common than other boys
1,223 babies have been named Kennan since 1952, making it today's #6251 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kennan has been recorded 1,223 times among boys since 1952, currently ranked #6251 nationally and more common than 56% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1952 to 2025.
- #6251 among boys today
- 1,223 born since 1952
- 2000s peak decade
- 56% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kennan is currently the #6251 boys' name in America, more common than 56% of boys - 1,223 born since 1952, peaking in the 2000s.
- #6251
- among boys today
- 1,223
- born since 1952
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 56%
- more common than other boys
Kennan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6251
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 56% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Kennan was born in this single decade.
2004
Single peak year
41 babies were named Kennan in 2004 - its busiest year on record.
How Kennan compares
1,223 Top 28% higher than 72% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Kennan's all-time total is 3x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kennan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,223 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 41 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kennan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kennan's SSA record in two at 1991 and the more recent half accounts for 67% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 33%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1953, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 2004 peak of 41, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kennan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2004
Current rank
#6,251
Active since
1952
Kennan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1952–2025
- Peak year (2004)
- 41
- Annual births at peak, across 74 years of records
Kennan popularity over time - girls
53 total births recorded since 1988 (Kennan as girls' name)
Kennan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Kennan's strongest decade.
312 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Kennan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 77
1950s
77 births
- 1960s 112
1960s
112 births
- 1970s 54
1970s
54 births
- 1980s
1980s
136 births
- 1990s
1990s
261 births
- 2000s
2000s
312 births
- 2010s
2010s
191 births
- 2020s 80
2020s
80 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 312 births (26% of all-time use).
How Kennan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Kennan's total volume
Kennan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kennan by state
Where Kennan concentrates geographically, total births since 1952
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 26 | 2.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 19 | 1.6% |
| #3 | Florida | | 10 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Kennan's total US births 2.1%
Even split
26 of 1,223 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kennan? ▼
Since 1952, Social Security records show 1,223 babies named Kennan. Today it holds rank #6251 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2004, with 41 births.
When was Kennan most popular? ▼
Kennan was most popular in the 2000s decade with 312 total births. The single peak year was 2004.
Where is Kennan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kennan are California (26 births), Texas (19 births), Florida (10 births).
How long has the name Kennan been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kennan since 1952 -- 74 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kennan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kenneth, Kent, Kenny, Kendall, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kennan's data
- Kennan's decade-level peak was the 2000s (312 total births); usage has since declined to 80 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kennans (26 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Kennan
Nearby Names Like Kennan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kennan
Kenneth Boy
#284 1,283,974 births
Kent Boy
#1632 69,322 births
Kenny Boy
#1356 51,931 births
Kendall Boy
#1225 35,350 births
Kendrick Boy
#478 33,557 births
Compare Kennan side by side: Kennan vs Kenneth Kennan vs Kent Kennan vs Kenny
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kennan
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, 1952–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kennan: #6251 Boys' Name - 1,223 Births, Peak 2004." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kennan. 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 Kennan 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.