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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kenyon

Kenyon

♂ Boy

Pronounced KEN-yən /ˈkɛn.jən/High

Meaning: From the Lancashire place/surname Kenyon — likely 'Ennion's mound' (Welsh personal name); college-famousLow

In 30 seconds: Liberal-arts polish with Welsh bones: Kenyon — likely 'Ennion's mound' — names Ohio's storied college and a sturdy surname line. Bookish, grassy, and grounded.
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Origin MediumEnglish, Welsh
MeaningFrom the Lancashire place/surname Kenyon — likely 'Ennion's mound' (Welsh personal name); college-famous
U.S. rank (2025)#3707 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births30 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2005
Total births (all-time)≈ 7,976

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200519142025

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

Kenyon comes from a Lancashire place- and surname — most readably 'Ennion's mound', from a Welsh personal name (the etymology is debated, which we note). Kenyon College and athletes like Kenyon Martin keep it current.

It registers thinly in records. Rare, mound-of-Ennion at the likely root, and collegiate.

Did you know? Kenyon College has graduated poets and presidents-of-letters (and Paul Newman) — the name carries that leafy-quad gravitas wherever it goes.
Overall data confidence 65%
Surname references — Kenyon — etymology debated

Variations

KenyanKenyen

Nicknames

KenYon

Famous Bearers

  • ★Kenyon Martin (1977-)
    former NBA power forward who played for the New Jersey Nets and helped them reach the 2002 NBA Finals

If you like Kenyon…

Kenton— a fellow Ken- place-surname
Kennedy— the companion Irish surname pick
Camden— another collegiate place-name
Landon— a sister grassy -on favorite

Explore names like Kenyon

By themeuncertainenglishsurname-namewelsh

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kenyon mean?

Kenyon is a Lancashire surname, most readably 'Ennion's mound'; the etymology is debated.

How do you pronounce Kenyon?

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

Is Kenyon a boy or girl name?

Kenyon is a boy's name.

How popular is Kenyon?

Kenyon is a rare name in the U.S.

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