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Kinney

♂ Boy

Pronounced KIN-ee /ˈkɪn.i/Medium

Meaning: Kinney is an anglicized Irish and Scottish surname, from Gaelic forms such as 'Mac Cionaodh' or 'O Cionaodh,' names built on Cionaodh, often read as 'fire-sprung' or 'born of fire.' Used as a given name, it draws on that Gaelic surname history.Low

In 30 seconds: Kinney is an Irish and Scottish surname used as a boy's name, from a Gaelic root often read as 'fire-sprung.' It saw quiet mid-century use (said KIN-ee).

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Origin LowIrish, Scottish

MeaningKinney is an anglicized Irish and Scottish surname, from Gaelic forms such as 'Mac Cionaodh' or 'O Cionaodh,' names built on Cionaodh, often read as 'fire-sprung' or 'born of fire.' Used as a given name, it draws on that Gaelic surname history.

U.S. rank (1993)#9520 ↘ Falling

1993 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1961

Total births (all-time)≈ 354

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Kinney is an anglicized Irish and Scottish surname from the Gaelic Cionaodh, often understood as 'fire-sprung.' Like many such surnames it was adopted as a first name in America, appearing on boys chiefly in the middle of the twentieth century.

Kinney was only about fifteen a year even at its peak around nineteen-sixty-one and never became common as a first name. It remains far more familiar as a surname, especially in forms like McKinney.

Did you know? The Gaelic personal name Cionaodh behind Kinney also lies beneath the more familiar surname McKinney, a common Ulster-Scots family name.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Kinney — Irish/Scottish surname; Gaelic Cionaodh 'fire-sprung'; given-name use; mid-century

Variations

KinnieMcKinneyKenney

Nicknames

Kin

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If you like Kinney…

Kenney— a like Gaelic surname-name of similar sound

Delaney— another Gaelic surname turned first name

Rooney— a comparable Irish surname-name of the era

Kerney— shares Kinney's Irish roots

Karey— lands in the same popularity range

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kinney mean?

It is an anglicized Irish and Scottish surname, from a Gaelic name built on Cionaodh, often read as 'fire-sprung' or 'born of fire.'

How do you pronounce Kinney?

It is said KIN-ee /ˈkɪn.i/ - two syllables.

Is Kinney a boy or girl name?

Kinney is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Kinney?

Kinney was always rare as a first name in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year at its peak around nineteen-sixty-one.