Kemp as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kemp

What is the meaning of the name Kemp ?

The baby name Kemp is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /kɛmp/ (rhymes with 'temp').

Kemp is English in Origin.

Kemp is an English and Scots surname turned given name, rooted in Old English cempa and Old Norse kempa, both meaning “warrior” or “champion.” The term fed into Middle English kemp(e) “a fighter; to contend,” ultimately connected to the wider Germanic kamp- “battle, contest,” and parallel to Late Latin campio “champion.” As a single-syllable name, it carries the brisk sense of a competitor or proven victor.

Borne across medieval England and Scotland as a byname for professional fighters, athletes, or standout contestants - sometimes winners of rural “kemps,” harvest-time competitions - the surname later migrated to North America, where Kemp began occasional use as a given name from the 19th century and fits today’s surname-first trend. Variants and cognates include Kempe and Kemps (English/Scots), Kempe (Scandinavian), Kempf and Kempe (German), and Kamp (Dutch/German). Meaning: warrior; champion; one who strives or excels.