Kenan is a distinctive choice, ranked #857 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Kenan in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#857
About the Name Kenan
Kenan is climbing rapidly up the charts, having climbed 194 places in just five years. Its best recorded rank was #345 in 1998 — and current momentum suggests it could challenge that mark again. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Kenan is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Kenan
Unlikely. With around 37 UK babies named Kenan per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Kenan in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Kenan is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 194 places over the last five years to #857 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Kenan is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Kenan include: Kenan Smith — Kenan Smith is a South African cricketer.; Kenan Bajrić — Kenan Bajrić is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Slovan Bratislava.; Kenan Yıldız — Kenan Yıldız is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Serie A club Juventus and the Turkey national team..
Kenan does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Kenans in the wild.
37
UK babies named Kenan (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 194 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Kenan
Likely around 1 other Kenan in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Kenan
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Kenan Yıldız is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Serie A club Juventus and the Turkey national team. He is considered one of the best young players in the world.
Kenan Malik is a British writer, lecturer and broadcaster, trained in neurobiology and the history of science. As an academic author, his focus is on the philosophy of biology, and contemporary theories of multiculturalism, pluralism, and race.
Kenan Thompson is an American actor and comedian. He has been a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live since 2003, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show's history.
Ahmet Kenan Evren was a Turkish military officer who served as the 7th president of Turkey from 1982 to 1989. He assumed the post by leading the 1980 military coup.
Augustus Holmes Kenan was an American politician who served as the Confederate States Congress Representative from Georgia's 4th congressional district from 1862 to 1864. He was renowned for heroism in the Second Seminole War, leveraging his acclaim to win seats in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly.