How to say it
KEN · ne · dy
/ˈkɛn.ə.di/
Feminine
Kennedy
Helmeted head
What it means
Anglicized Irish surname Ó Cinnéidigh, 'descendant of Cinnéidigh' (a personal name meaning 'helmeted head' or 'ugly head' depending on which Old Irish root you favor).
Kennedy is the anglicization of the Irish surname Ó Cinnéidigh, 'descendant of Cinnéidigh.' The personal name comes from cenn ('head') plus either éidigh ('ugly, malformed') or a word meaning 'helmeted.' President John F. Kennedy is the obvious American anchor; the Kennedy family's place in American politics gave the surname unusual first-name potential. The flip to feminine first name happened in the 1990s, particularly in the US South. It's been in the US top 100 since 1995. Ken is the rare short.
Popularity over time
peaked at #54 in 2014, currently #85 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
The Kennedy family is the unavoidable American political reference; some families lean in, others find it heavy.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- John F. Kennedy 35th US president (Kennedy as surname)
- Jamie Kennedy American actor and comedian
Spelling variants
- Kennedi
- Kennedie
Names with the same feeling
See Kennedy from another angle
By style