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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Kenny

Kenny

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced KEN-ee /ˈkΙ›n.iː/Low

Meaning: Born of fire; handsome; diminutive of KennethLow

In 30 seconds: Kenny is a friendly diminutive of Kenneth from Scottish Gaelic Cainnech meaning born of fire or handsome. A warm approachable name used both as a standalone and nickname.
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Origin LowScottish, Irish
MeaningBorn of fire; handsome; diminutive of Kenneth
U.S. rank (2025)#1271 β†— Rising
2025 U.S. births155 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1960
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 51,932

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 196019082025

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kenny is a diminutive of Kenneth from Scottish Gaelic Cainnech meaning born of fire or handsome. It has been used as a standalone name since the 19th century.

Kenny has a friendly vintage quality and is widely used in English-speaking countries.

Did you know? South Park's Kenny McCormick β€” dying in almost every episode only to return β€” made Kenny synonymous with resilience and the unquenchable spirit of friendship.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: Kenneth

Variations

KennethKendrickKen

Nicknames

Ken

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Kenny Rogers (1938–2020)
    American country singer known for The Gambler and Islands in the Stream

If you like Kenny…

Donnieβ€” Same vintage -y nickname style
Robbieβ€” Same -ie diminutive tradition
Sandyβ€” Same era -y nickname name
Kellenβ€” another Irish name
Kaceyβ€” shares Kenny's Irish roots

Explore names like Kenny

By themetwo-syllableirishvintagescottishdiminutivefire
By meaningBeautyFire

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Kenny mean?

Kenny means born of fire as a diminutive of Kenneth from Scottish Gaelic Cainnech.

How do you pronounce Kenny?

Kenny is pronounced KEN-ee with two syllables.

What is the origin of Kenny?

Kenny comes from Scottish, Irish.

What names are similar to Kenny?

Similar names include Donnie, Robbie, and Charlie.

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