Discover name insights instantly.

Uncover the origin, popularity, and more for any name.

Name Origin

Kenneth is a masculine given name of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic elements 'Coinneach' meaning 'born of fire' or 'handsome' and 'Mac' meaning 'son'. Therefore, Kenneth traditionally means 'handsome son', 'fiery one', or 'son of fire'.

scottishgaelicmasculinefirehandsomeson

Famous People

Kenneth Branagh (1960-)

Actor, Director

  • Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay
  • Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Kenneth Clarke (1940-)

Politician

  • Served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1993 to 1997
  • Knighted in 2010 for services to politics and public service

Kenneth Cole (1954-)

Fashion Designer

  • Founded Kenneth Cole Productions, a global fashion brand
  • Known for his philanthropy and social activism

Kenneth Waltz (1924-2013)

Political Scientist

  • Pioneer of neorealism in international relations theory
  • Recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science

Kenneth Arrow (1921-2017)

Economist

  • Won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1972
  • Made significant contributions to general equilibrium theory and social choice theory

Similar Names