Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Ken as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ken

Add to my Name List

The baby name Ken is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /kɛn/.

Ken is English, Scottish, Scottish Gaelic, Vietnamese in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 1.0
Pronunciation: /kɛn/

What is the meaning of the name Ken ?

The baby name Ken is a Male name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /kɛn/.

Ken is English, Scottish, Scottish Gaelic, Vietnamese in Origin.

Ken is an English short form of Kenneth, which itself conflates two Scottish Gaelic names: Coinneach, meaning “handsome, fair,” and Cináed (modern Cionaodh), usually interpreted as “born of fire,” from Aodh, a Celtic fire deity. Early bearers include several medieval Scottish kings, notably Cináed mac Ailpín (Kenneth MacAlpin). As Kenneth rose in popularity across the English‑speaking world from the late 19th century through the mid‑20th, Ken became a brisk, friendly standalone choice.

Variants and related forms include Kenn and Kenny; the Gaelic sources appear as Coinneach, Cináed, and Cionaodh, with feminine offshoot Kenna. In Japan, Ken is an independent given name written with various kanji - such as 健 “healthy, strong,” 賢 “wise,” 建 “build,” 権 “authority,” or 謙 “modest” - yielding shades of meaning. Cultural references range from Barbie’s Ken (1961) to athletes and artists like Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Watanabe, helping keep the name familiar across cultures.

Ken has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Ken

Kenneth Branagh Actor · Born 1960 · United Kingdom Kenneth Branagh is a British actor and filmmaker best known for his work in Shakespearean adaptations like 'Henry V' and 'Much Ado About Nothing'. He also directed and starred in 'Murder on the Orient Express' and played Gilderoy Lockhart in 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'. Ken Page Actor · Born 1954 · United States Ken Page is an American actor best known for his role as the voice of Oogie Boogie in the animated film 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. He has also appeared in the Broadway productions of 'Cats' and 'Ain't Misbehavin'. Ken Russell Actor · Born 1927 · United Kingdom Ken Russell was a British filmmaker best known for his innovative and controversial films. He directed the movie 'Tommy', based on The Who's rock opera, and 'The Devils', which stirred much debate. His work often pushed boundaries and explored unconventional themes.
Ken Jeong Actor · Born 1969 · United States Ken Jeong is an American actor best known for his role as Leslie Chow in the Hangover film series. He also starred as Ben Chang in the TV show Community. Before his acting career, Ken was a licensed physician. Ken Leung Actor · Born 1970 · United States Ken Leung is an actor from the United States, best known for his role as Miles Straume on the TV show Lost. He also appeared in the films Rush Hour and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Born in 1970, Leung has built a diverse career in both television and film. Ken Burns Actor · Born 1953 · United States Ken Burns is a renowned documentary filmmaker from the United States, best known for his in-depth and visually engaging documentaries on American history. His notable works include 'The Civil War', 'Jazz', and 'Baseball', which have captivated audiences with their storytelling and attention to detail.

Ken – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2001 #1 464
HK Boys 0 #2 7,862 12,905
MO Boys 0 #2 852 5,842
MO 0 #3 52 2,706
HK 0 #8 847 8,483
KR Girls 0 #14 2 572
BW 0 #15 5 960
JP Boys 0 #18 739 7,909
JP 0 #19 63 4,057
TW Boys 0 #21 618 7,111
KR Boys 0 #27 1 897
BN 0 #28 5 2,297
EE 0 #33 5 1,051
HT Boys 0 #33 2 903
CN 0 #36 50 3,857
TW 0 #36 68 4,523
CN Boys 0 #38 684 9,639
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
SG Boys 0 #42 2,565 17,960
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
PH 0 #47 50 5,607
CM 0 #55 2 2,592
MY 0 #57 371 12,352
CY 0 #59 2 1,632
LU 0 #60 7 2,830
PH Boys 0 #63 549 11,440
MY Boys 0 #64 5,103 25,439
IN 0 #71 1 2,963
JM 0 #74 14 3,714
SG 0 #76 247 11,010
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
MV Boys 0 #77 3 3,375
QA 0 #86 15 7,011
LT 0 #87 2 949
EE Boys 0 #91 36 2,087
BN Boys 0 #92 42 6,332
AF Girls 0 #94 1 2,402
KZ 0 #94 1 1,452
ID Girls 0 #100 3 3,319
OM 0 #107 10 6,215
BN Girls 0 #110 5 5,459
HU 0 #115 1 1,675
KW 0 #116 6 5,216
ID Boys 0 #117 15 4,130
BW Girls 0 #121 28 4,216
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
CR 0 #124 35 5,526
AZ Boys 0 #128 4 1,400
BW Boys 0 #128 22 4,685
CY Boys 0 #130 2 3,473
MU 0 #132 6 3,613
GR 0 #133 3 3,911
IQ 0 #133 1 3,533
PA 0 #134 5 3,797
Switzerland Boys 2024 #136 2 1,769
Norway Boys 2016 #140 4 463
JO 0 #140 1 2,158
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
AE 0 #158 20 10,220
LU Boys 0 #158 61 4,970
MT Boys 0 #167 10 4,064
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
HU Boys 0 #172 3 3,954
PR Boys 0 #172 7 2,508
Sweden Boys 2020 #176 2 1,548
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
DK Boys 0 #184 154 7,401
CZ 0 #185 2 3,154
NG 0 #187 79 5,926
JM Boys 0 #190 84 6,876
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
DK 0 #191 13 5,198
RU 0 #191 4 3,641
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
GH Boys 0 #197 182 8,138
SI Boys 0 #208 4 3,402
PL 0 #210 3 2,600
MO Girls 0 #215 37 7,056
BG Boys 0 #217 4 3,850
Belgium Boys 2001 #222 18 417
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
GH 0 #227 17 5,396
IR 0 #229 3 4,221
EC Boys 0 #230 10 3,322
AO Boys 0 #232 11 5,568
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
BD 0 #239 3 5,992
NG Boys 0 #242 1,994 16,906
JP Girls 0 #244 8 6,592
NA Boys 0 #245 9 6,830
JM Girls 0 #247 13 7,507
HR Boys 0 #248 11 3,997
PT 0 #248 3 4,161
MU Boys 0 #253 106 8,477
KZ Boys 0 #262 28 6,578
TW Girls 0 #262 15 8,139
IL 0 #265 10 6,291
SA 0 #266 30 10,560
GR Boys 0 #267 7 6,912
AF Boys 0 #273 2 3,535
CZ Boys 0 #285 20 6,530
Canada Boys 2024 #294 13 2,588
AL Boys 0 #297 7 5,122
Finland 0 #298 10 830
PE 0 #298 13 6,350
QA Girls 0 #301 16 15,378
CR Boys 0 #303 213 10,188
GH Girls 0 #313 12 6,973
PL Boys 0 #323 13 6,459
KZ Girls 0 #328 5 5,862
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
PH Girls 0 #330 61 13,098
GT 0 #332 7 5,948
CN Girls 0 #338 12 8,829
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
PT Boys 0 #349 19 7,951
SD Girls 0 #356 3 7,678
MU Girls 0 #360 3 8,539
Finland Boys 0 #362 66 2,041
ZA 0 #365 83 14,421
NL 0 #367 25 2,481
YE 0 #371 11 8,639
BO 0 #372 10 6,868
France Boys 2021 #383 5 2,865
JO Boys 0 #385 5 7,057
UY Boys 0 #387 13 5,922
MX 0 #397 17 8,339
BD Girls 0 #404 3 8,413
PA Boys 0 #406 76 9,305
Austria Boys 0 #407 36 2,180
Germany 0 #409 29 2,542
HK Girls 0 #409 214 16,104
EG 0 #410 3 6,387
OM Girls 0 #418 7 15,987
SD Boys 0 #422 24 10,523
CL 0 #432 3 6,867
CM Boys 0 #432 120 12,054
RU Boys 0 #432 74 12,621
Spain 0 #441 12 2,326
AR Boys 0 #445 23 7,628
GT Boys 0 #453 22 7,625
KW Girls 0 #470 46 19,177
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
CR Girls 0 #486 47 11,342
SG Girls 0 #495 92 18,916
CO 0 #502 9 7,768
PS Boys 0 #502 47 10,655
LY 0 #506 30 12,703
CM Girls 0 #508 33 11,671
PA Girls 0 #512 7 9,861
BO Boys 0 #513 80 9,244
Finland Boys 2026 #517 178 3,552
RU Girls 0 #519 5 11,913
BH 0 #521 33 17,937
AE Girls 0 #523 31 20,968
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
IR Boys 0 #533 20 10,162
PE Boys 0 #536 413 14,506
QA Boys 0 #536 172 18,093
GT Girls 0 #540 2 7,500
ZA Boys 0 #544 911 25,619
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
BD Boys 0 #567 10 10,045
IL Boys 0 #570 38 10,983
NL Boys 0 #578 415 5,873
Germany Boys 0 #605 389 5,697
CL Boys 0 #614 52 13,390
TN 0 #628 212 13,765
AR Girls 0 #629 2 8,289
IL Girls 0 #644 2 11,648
BO Girls 0 #647 5 9,488
IN Girls 0 #648 7 13,121
IQ Boys 0 #648 20 13,071
IT 0 #657 58 4,183
LB 0 #683 8 13,263
NG Girls 0 #695 92 15,093
KW Boys 0 #699 71 18,755
DZ 0 #715 507 20,130
SY 0 #718 11 11,684
BR Boys 0 #726 26 12,213
Spain Boys 0 #734 199 5,610
CO Boys 0 #754 168 15,656
OM Boys 0 #790 92 17,948
MX Boys 0 #803 183 16,355
IT Boys 0 #808 750 10,046
MY Girls 0 #812 183 24,821
Germany Girls 0 #829 10 4,949
EG Boys 0 #845 42 15,035
SA Girls 0 #851 85 25,931
AE Boys 0 #856 238 22,615
United States Boys 2024 #857 36 7,044
MA 0 #865 265 20,986
EG Girls 0 #905 55 14,742
CL Girls 0 #910 6 14,098
NL Girls 0 #943 13 5,933
IN Boys 0 #950 52 16,750
Spain Girls 0 #973 11 5,561
BR Girls 0 #992 1 12,708
PE Girls 0 #1,003 8 14,861
CO Girls 0 #1,049 30 16,140
ZA Girls 0 #1,092 50 25,928
MX Girls 0 #1,124 60 17,781
TR 0 #1,136 76 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,177 460 28,008
IT Girls 0 #1,414 33 9,415

Ken is popular in 91 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Norway
Canada
United States
Switzerland

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Ken

Ken is predominantly a boy's name.
Ken is a one syllable name, pronounced /kɛn/.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Kenneth, Kenny and Kenn.
Across languages, Ken has these equivalents: Cináed (Cinaed), Japanese 'Ken' (separate origin/meanings).
Yes, very popular — Ken ranked #1 in Ireland in 2001, and appears in official birth registries across 10 countries.
Ken ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2001).
Ken's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #405 in 2011 to #383 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 37 notable people named Ken are in our database, including Kenneth Branagh (Actor), Ken Page (Actor), Ken Russell (Actor).