Boys' name · since 1899
Kenney
Since 1899, U.S. Social Security records show 2,500 babies named Kenney, peaking in 1960. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 2,500
- total births
- 1899–2020
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 20%
- born in that decade
Kenney sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 2,500 recorded since 1899.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kenney has been recorded 2,500 times among boys since 1899, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1899 to 2020.
- 2,500 total births
- 1899–2020 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 20% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
Kenney's 2,500 recorded births place it above 94% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
19 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Texas.
Kenney's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kenney splits its recorded history at 1966: 41% of all births land in the more recent half, 59% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1899 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1960 peak of 94 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kenney popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1899–2020
- Peak year (1960)
- 94
- Annual births at peak, across 122 years of records
Kenney popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1977 (Kenney as girls' name)
Kenney by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Kenney's strongest decade.
507 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Kenney births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1910s 23
1910s
23 births
- 1920s 100
1920s
100 births
- 1930s 167
1930s
167 births
- 1940s
1940s
318 births
- 1950s
1950s
507 births
- 1960s
1960s
507 births
- 1970s
1970s
268 births
- 1980s
1980s
232 births
- 1990s 198
1990s
198 births
- 2000s 120
2000s
120 births
- 2010s 48
2010s
48 births
- 2020s 7
2020s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 507 births (20% of all-time use).
How Kenney 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 Kenney's total volume
Kenney vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kenney by state
Where Kenney concentrates geographically, total births since 1899
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 86 | 3.4% |
| #2 | California | | 81 | 3.2% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 25 | 1.0% |
| #4 | Alabama | | 24 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 20 | 0.8% |
| #6 | New York | | 15 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Virginia | | 15 | 0.6% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 13 | 0.5% |
86 of 2,500 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Kenney appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Kenney's data
- Kenney's decade-level peak was the 1950s (507 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Kenneys (86 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 Kenney
Nearby Names Like Kenney
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kenney
Compare Kenney side by side: Kenney vs Kenneth Kenney vs Kent Kenney vs Kenny
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1899–2020 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac. "Kenney: Baby Name Since 1899 - 2,500 Births, Peak 1960." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kenney. 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 Kenney 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 July 2026.