How popular is the baby name Kennedy in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Kennedy.

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Popularity of the baby name Kennedy


Posts that mention the name Kennedy

Top first letters of U.S. baby names, 2017

What were the most popular first letters for baby names in 2017?

For girls, the most-used first letter was A, followed by M and E. The least-used first letter was U. Here’s the breakdown:

first letters, girl names, 2017

And here are the most-used girl names per letter for 2017:

For boys, the most-used first letter was J, followed by A and C. The least-used first letter was U. Here’s the breakdown:

first letters, boy names, 2017

Here are the most-used boy names per letter for 2017:

Finally, here are both genders side-by-side on the same chart:

first letters, baby names, 2017

Overall, the top first letter was A and the least popular letter was U. Not much has changed since 2016…

Keedy: The ’90s baby name that never was?

Pop singer Keedy
Pop singer Keedy

Not long ago I discovered a new-to-me pop star from the early ’90s named Keedy (born Kelly Ann Keedy).

In 1991 she put out the album Chase the Clouds. Two singles from that album ended up the Billboard Hot 100. The catchier of the two, “Save Some Love,” peaked at #15 in May.

The follow-up, a ballad called “Wishing On The Same Star,” peaked at #86 in August.

…And that was it. No more major label albums, no more singles on the charts.

But what if she had stuck around a little longer? Would “Keedy” have emerged in the baby name data?

The girl names Keely, Kaylee, Kendall, Kennedy, and Kylie were all on the rise in the early ’90s. Keedy would have been right on trend.

What do you think: Could Keedy have been a contender?

Sources: Rare and Obscure Music: Keedy, Keedy – Billboard

Most popular first letters for baby names, 2016

What were the most popular first letters for baby names in 2016?

Here’s a chart showing the first letter breakdown for girl names:

first letter, girl names, baby names, 2016, chart

For girls, the most-used first letter was A, followed by M and E. The least-used first letter was U.

The three most-used girl names per letter last year were…

A: Ava, Abigail, Amelia
B: Brooklyn, Bella, Brianna
C: Charlotte, Chloe, Camila
D: Delilah, Daisy, Daniela
E: Emma, Emily, Evelyn
F: Faith, Finley, Fiona
G: Grace, Genesis, Gabriella
H: Harper, Hannah, Hazel
I: Isabella, Isabelle, Ivy
J: Julia, Josephine, Jade
K: Kennedy, Kaylee, Kylie
L: Lily, Lillian, Layla
M: Mia, Madison, Mila
N: Natalie, Nora, Naomi
O: Olivia, Olive, Oakley
P: Penelope, Paisley, Piper
Q: Quinn, Queen, Quincy
R: Riley, Ruby, Reagan
S: Sophia, Sofia, Scarlett
T: Taylor, Trinity, Teagan
U: Unique, Uma, Una
V: Victoria, Violet, Vivian
W: Willow, Willa, Winter
X: Ximena, Xiomara, Xena
Y: Yaretzi, Yareli, Yamileth
Z: Zoey, Zoe, Zara

Here’s the breakdown for boy names:

first letter, boy names, baby names, 2016, chart

For boys, the most-used first letter was J, followed by A and C. The least-used letter was U.

The three most-used boy names per letter last year were…

A: Alexander, Aiden, Anthony
B: Benjamin, Brayden, Bryson
C: Carter, Christopher, Caleb
D: Daniel, David, Dylan
E: Elijah, Ethan, Eli
F: Finn, Felix, Francisco
G: Gabriel, Grayson, Gavin
H: Henry, Hunter, Hudson
I: Isaac, Isaiah, Ian
J: James, Jacob, Jackson
K: Kevin, Kayden, Kingston
L: Liam, Lucas, Logan
M: Mason, Michael, Matthew
N: Noah, Nathan, Nicholas
O: Oliver, Owen, Oscar
P: Parker, Patrick, Preston
Q: Quinn, Quentin, Quincy
R: Ryan, Robert, Roman
S: Samuel, Sebastian, Sawyer
T: Thomas, Theodore, Tyler
U: Uriel, Uriah, Ulises
V: Vincent, Victor, Valentino
W: William, Wyatt, Wesley
X: Xavier, Xander, Xzavier
Y: Yusuf, Yosef, Yahir
Z: Zachary, Zayden, Zane

Finally, here are both genders side-by-side:

first letter, baby names, 2016, chart

Overall, the top first letter was A, followed by J and M. And the least popular letter was, of course, U.

Here’s last year’s post on the most and least popular first letters of 2015.

How did John F. Kennedy influence baby names in the 1960s?

President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)
John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy was elected U.S. president in late 1960, and began serving his term in early 1961.

He was assassinated in Texas on November 22, 1963 — 53 years ago today.

During the first half of the 1960s — especially around the time of the assassination — all three of his names saw increased usage on the U.S. baby name charts. In fact, both Fitzgerald and Kennedy (as a male name) saw their highest-ever usage in 1964:

Boys named JohnBoys named FitzgeraldBoys named Kennedy
196571,563 [rank: 2nd]58 [rank: 970th]122 [rank: 674th]
196482,541 [rank: 2nd]125† [rank: 691st]230† [rank: 516th]
196378,645 [rank: 2nd]52 158 [rank: 624th]
196278,450 [rank: 3rd]1085 [rank: 828th]
196179,910 [rank: 3rd]24177 [rank: 592nd]
196076,124 [rank: 4th].117 [rank: 723rd]
195976,425 [rank: 4th].21
†Peak usage

Intriguingly, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum maintains a small collection of correspondence regarding babies named after JFK. The collection consists of 34 items (mostly typewritten and handwritten letters/telegrams) delivered from 1960 to 1963 that document eight specific JFK namesakes. Here are most of them:

  • John Kennedy Adjei, born circa 1961 in Kumasi, Ghana
  • John Kennedy Grant, born in July, 1960, in Haverstraw, New York
  • John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jones, born on July 15, 1960, in Massillon, Ohio
  • John Fitzgerald Kennedy, born on August 17, 1960, at Minot AFB in North Dakota
  • John Fitzgerald Kennedy, born on September 8, 1960, in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
  • John Kennedy Twyman, born on May 15, 1960, in Cincinnati, Ohio

JFK’s wife Jacqueline and daughter Caroline also influenced U.S. baby names during the early 1960s:

Girls named JacquelineGirls named JackieGirls named Caroline
19659,412 [rank: 47th]2,443 [rank: 156th]1,815 [rank: 187th]
196411,976† [rank: 37th]3,235 [rank: 128th]2,106 [rank: 179th]
19638,561 [rank: 51st]2,821 [rank: 142nd]1,690 [rank: 208th]
19629,833 [rank: 44th]3,611 [rank: 126th]1,989 [rank: 186th]
196110,982 [rank: 37th]4,257† [rank: 112th]2,199 [rank: 176th]
19605,652 [rank: 85th]2,983 [rank: 144th]1,209 [rank: 254th]
19594,324 [rank: 111th]2,737 [rank: 155th]1,043 [rank: 274th]
†Peak usage

P.S. Did you know that Jacqueline Kennedy pronounced her name “JAK-uh-leen“?

Source: SSA

Image: John F. Kennedy – U.S. National Archives

[Latest update: May 2024]