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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kenric

Kenric

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Kenric

Pronounced KEN-rik /ˈkɛn.rɪk/High

Meaning: Kenric is a variant of Kenrick / Kendrick, a surname and given name from Old English. It combines a first element read as cyne 'royal' (or cene 'bold') with ric 'ruler, power', giving 'royal ruler' or 'bold ruler'. Some lines also trace to Welsh Cynwrig.Medium

In 30 seconds: Kenric is a trimmed spelling of Kendrick / Kenrick (said 'KEN-rik'), an Old English name meaning 'royal ruler' or 'bold ruler'. It is the surname worn as a first name.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningKenric is a variant of Kenrick / Kendrick, a surname and given name from Old English. It combines a first element read as cyne 'royal' (or cene 'bold') with ric 'ruler, power', giving 'royal ruler' or 'bold ruler'. Some lines also trace to Welsh Cynwrig.
U.S. rank (2023)#6722 ↗ Rising
2023 U.S. births13 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1976
Total births (all-time)≈ 939
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Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197619462023

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

Kenric is a spelling of Kenrick, itself a variant of Kendrick — an English surname built from Old English cyne 'royal' or cene 'bold' plus ric 'ruler, power'. A parallel line runs back to the Welsh personal name Cynwrig. Long carried as a family name, it moved into first-name use in the twentieth century as parents mined surnames for masculine given names.

Kenric peaked modestly around 1976, part of the broad move toward surname-style boys' names, and never became common. A boy named Kenric then is now approaching fifty. With Kendrick now widely recognized, the shorter Kenric could ride that coattail, but for now it remains an uncommon, sharp-sounding choice.

Did you know? Kenric is genuinely old in root but rare in use; it saw a small mid-1970s crest as surname-style boys' names spread.
Overall data confidence 65%
References — Kenric / Kendrick — Old English cyne/cene + ric 'royal/bold ruler'; also Welsh Cynwrig

Variations

KendrickKenrickCynricKenrik

Nicknames

KenRickKenny

Famous Bearers

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If you like Kenric…

Kendrick— the fuller, better-known form of the same name
Cedric— a like -ric boy's name of English literary flavor
Kenrick— the standard spelling Kenric trims
Derrick— shares the -rick ending and surname-name feel

Explore names like Kenric

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kenric mean?

Kenric is a variant of Kendrick, from Old English elements meaning 'royal ruler' or 'bold ruler'.

How do you pronounce Kenric?

It's said KEN-rik /ˈkɛn.rɪk/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kenric a boy or girl name?

Kenric is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Kenric?

Kenric has always been an uncommon spelling of Kendrick, with a small peak in the nineteen-seventies.

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