Kennedy is a distinctive choice, ranked #1449 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Kennedy in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#1449
US Rank #89
About the Name Kennedy
Kennedy has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 457 places in five years. It was most popular in 1997 at #357 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Kennedy is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #89, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Kennedy
Unlikely. With around 22 UK babies named Kennedy per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Kennedy in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Kennedy has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 457 places in the last five years. Its peak was #357 in 1997. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Kennedy is more popular in the US (#89) than in the UK (#1449). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Kennedy include: Anthony Kennedy — Anthony McLeod Kennedy is an American lawyer who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1988 until his retirement in...; Kerry Kennedy — Mary Kerry Kennedy is an American lawyer, author, and human rights activist.; Kennedy curse — The Kennedy curse is a series of deaths, accidents, assassinations, and other calamities involving members of the American Kennedy family..
Kennedy ranks #89 in the US (2024), making it comfortably inside the American top 100. It's well-liked on both sides of the Atlantic.
22
UK babies named Kennedy (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 457 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Kennedy
Likely around 1 other Kennedy in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Kennedy
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the youngest person elected president, at 43 years, and the first Catholic president.
Robert Francis Kennedy, also known by his initials RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party, Kennedy served as the 64th United States attorney general from 1961 to 1964, and as a U.S.
Anthony McLeod Kennedy is an American lawyer who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1988 until his retirement in 2018. He was nominated to the court in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan, and sworn in on February 18, 1988.
The Kennedy curse is a series of deaths, accidents, assassinations, and other calamities involving members of the American Kennedy family. The alleged curse has primarily struck the descendants of businessman Joseph P.