Total births
25,412
Unisex name · since 1952
Kenya
Kenya has 25,412 recorded births since 1952 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1973 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1659
- among girls today
- 25,412
- born since 1952
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
25,412 babies have been named Kenya since 1952, making it today's #1659 unisex name.
Kenya has 25,412 recorded births among girls since 1952, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1659 as of the latest data, more common than 91% of girls, busiest in the 1970s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1952 to 2025.
- #1659 among girls today
- 25,412 born since 1952
- 1970s peak decade
- 91% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kenya is currently the #1659 unisex name in America, more common than 91% of girls - 25,412 born since 1952, peaking in the 1970s.
- #1659
- among girls today
- 25,412
- born since 1952
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
Kenya vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1659
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 91% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Kenya was born in this single decade.
1973
Single peak year
894 babies were named Kenya in 1973 - its busiest year on record.
How Kenya compares
25,412 Top 5% higher than 95% 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
Kenya's all-time total is 67x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kenya | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 25,412 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 894 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kenya's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kenya's SSA record in two at 1989 and the more recent half accounts for 59% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 41%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1952, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1973 peak of 894, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kenya at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1973
Current rank
#1,659
Active since
1952
Kenya popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1952–2025
- Peak year (1973)
- 894
- Annual births at peak, across 74 years of records
Kenya popularity over time - boys
2,141 total births recorded since 1964 (Kenya as boys' name)
Kenya by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Kenya's strongest decade.
6,502 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Kenya births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 89
1950s
89 births
- 1960s 691
1960s
691 births
- 1970s
1970s
6,502 births
- 1980s
1980s
3,440 births
- 1990s
1990s
5,220 births
- 2000s
2000s
5,069 births
- 2010s
2010s
3,553 births
- 2020s 848
2020s
848 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 6,502 births (26% of all-time use).
How Kenya 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 Kenya's total volume
Kenya vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kenya by state
Where Kenya concentrates geographically, total births since 1952
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 2,976 | 11.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 2,178 | 8.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 1,869 | 7.4% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 1,601 | 6.3% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 1,483 | 5.8% |
| #6 | Florida | | 1,445 | 5.7% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 1,144 | 4.5% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 845 | 3.3% |
California share of Kenya's total US births 11.7%
Even split
2,976 of 25,412 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 38 reporting states.
Kenya appears in 38 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kenya? ▼
Since 1952, Social Security records show 25,412 babies named Kenya. Today it holds rank #1659 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1973, with 894 births.
When was Kenya most popular? ▼
Kenya was most popular in the 1970s decade with 6,502 total births. The single peak year was 1973.
Where is Kenya most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kenya are California (2,976 births), Texas (2,178 births), New York (1,869 births).
Is Kenya a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kenya is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 25,412 births, and as a boy's name it has 2,141 births.
How long has the name Kenya been used? ▼
Records for Kenya go back to 1952, giving 74 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kenya? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kendra, Kennedy, Kendall, Kenzie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kenya's data
- Kenya's decade-level peak was the 1970s (6,502 total births); usage has since declined to 848 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kenyas (2,976 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 Kenya
Nearby Names Like Kenya
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kenya
Kendra Girl
#686 98,438 births
Kennedy Girl
#89 93,663 births
Kendall Girl
#311 66,533 births
Kenzie Girl
#628 21,391 births
Kennedi Girl
#685 15,537 births
Compare Kenya side by side: Kenya vs Kendra Kenya vs Kennedy Kenya vs Kendall
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kenya
Maryjane #1658
13,989 births · Peak 2009
Jaslyn #1660
4,716 births · Peak 2008
Cindy #1657
257,294 births · Peak 1957
Saphira #1661
2,346 births · Peak 2008
Azula #1656
721 births · Peak 2024
Ahana #1662
1,364 births · Peak 2024
Nasya #1655
1,115 births · Peak 2024
Kinzley #1663
2,771 births · Peak 2017
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. "Kenya: #1659 Unisex Name - 25,412 Births, Peak 1973." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kenya. 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 Kenya 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.