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Kendall

♀ Girl

Pronounced KEN-dul /ˈkɛn.dəl/High

Meaning: From a place name in Cumbria, England — Kendal — derived from Old Norse 'Kent-dale', meaning 'valley of the River Kent', where 'kent' is a river name of uncertain origin.High

In 30 seconds: Kendall is a sleek, modern surname name drawn from an English valley town. Once predominantly male, it crossed to girls in the 1990s and has been firmly a feminine name since the Kardashian era.
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Origin HighOld Norse, Old English
MeaningFrom a place name in Cumbria, England — Kendal — derived from Old Norse 'Kent-dale', meaning 'valley of the River Kent', where 'kent' is a river name of uncertain origin.
U.S. rank (2025)#328 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births932 girls (0.05% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2012
Total births (all-time)≈ 66,525

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201219292025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Kendall derives from the English town of Kendal in Cumbria, historically spelled Kendal (without the final -l). The town's name comes from Old Norse, meaning 'valley of the River Kent'. The River Kent takes its name from a pre-Celtic or Celtic toponym of uncertain meaning. Kendall became an English surname for families from the area, and like many place-name surnames, eventually transitioned to first-name use.

As a given name, Kendall was initially more common for boys, appearing in the US top 500 masculine names from the mid-twentieth century. In the 1990s it began crossing to girls, and by the 2000s was firmly established as a feminine name in American usage. Reality television star Kendall Jenner (born 1995) greatly accelerated its association with girls. Today it is primarily a girl's name in the US, ranking in the top 150.

Did you know? Kendal, the English town that gave this name its origin, is famous for two things: Kendal Mint Cake, the energy bar that accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary to the summit of Everest in 1953, and producing the green cloth worn by Robin Hood in medieval legend.
Overall data confidence 88%
Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names — Origin of Kendal, CumbriaSocial Security Administration Name Data — US gender crossover and popularity trends

Variations

KendalKyndallKindall

Nicknames

KenKennieKK

Famous Bearers

  • ★Kendall Jenner (1995–)
    American model and media personality, member of the Kardashian-Jenner family.

If you like Kendall…

Mackenzie— two-syllable Scottish place-name-turned-girl's-name with the same modern, sleek quality
Kelsey— two-syllable Old English surname name popular for girls in the same era
Riley— two-syllable Irish surname name that made the same gender crossover in a similar period

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kendall mean?

Kendall means 'valley of the River Kent', from the English town of Kendal in Cumbria, derived from Old Norse.

How do you pronounce Kendall?

Kendall is pronounced KEN-dul (/ˈkɛn.dəl/), two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Kendall a boy or girl name?

Kendall started as a boy's name but is now used predominantly for girls in the United States.

How popular is Kendall?

Kendall ranks in the US top 150 girls' names, significantly boosted by Kendall Jenner's cultural prominence.