Boys' name · since 1914
Kerney
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 248 babies named Kerney, peaking in 1919. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #11,715 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 248
- born since 1914
- 1920s
- peak decade
Kerney is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 248 have been recorded since 1914.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kerney has been recorded 248 times among boys since 1914, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 1973.
- #11,715 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 248 born since 1914
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kerney ranks #11,715 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 248 born since 1914, peaking in the 1920s.
- #11,715 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 248
- born since 1914
- 1920s
- peak decade
Kerney's 248 recorded births place it above 74.22% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Kentucky.
Kerney's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Kerney's full recorded timeline at 1941, 44% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 56% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1917, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1919 peak of 16 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Kerney popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–1973
- Peak year (1919)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 60 years of records
Kerney by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (73 births, 29% of the file).
1920s was Kerney's strongest decade.
73 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Kerney births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
36 births
- 1920s
1920s
73 births
- 1930s 24
1930s
24 births
- 1940s
1940s
56 births
- 1950s
1950s
39 births
- 1960s 15
1960s
15 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 73 births (29% of all-time use).
Kerney by state
Where Kerney concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 13 | 5.2% |
13 of 248 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kerney? ▼
Where does Kerney sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Kerney most popular? ▼
Where is Kerney most popular? ▼
How long has the name Kerney been used? ▼
What names are similar to Kerney? ▼
What to do with Kerney's data
- Kerney's decade-level peak was the 1920s (73 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Kentucky records the most Kerneys (13 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kerney
Nearby Names Like Kerney
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kerney
Compare Kerney side by side: Kerney vs Kerry Kerney vs Kermit Kerney vs Kerwin
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Kerney: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1919)
Similar record span (~59 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1914–1973 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Kerney 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 August 2026.