Gender Masculine
Pronounced Pron. KEHN-əth(English)  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

Anglicized form of both Coinneach and Cináed. This name was borne by the Scottish king Kenneth (Cináed) mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. It was popularized outside of Scotland by Walter Scott, who used it for the hero in his 1825 novel The Talisman [1]. A famous bearer was the British novelist Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), who wrote The Wind in the Willows.

Related Names

VariantsCoinneach(Scottish Gaelic) Kennith, Kenith(English) Kennet(Swedish) Kennet(Danish) Kennet(Norwegian)
DiminutivesKenny(Scottish) Ken, Kenny(English)
Feminine FormsKenina, Kenna(Scottish) Kendra(English)
Other Languages & CulturesCainneach, Cionaodh(Irish) Cináed(Medieval Scottish) Cainnech, Cináed(Old Irish)

People think this name is

classic   mature   formal   upper class   wholesome   strong   refined   serious  

Name Days

Austria: August 1

Images

Kenneth mac Alphin from the Scottish National Portrait GalleryKenneth mac Alphin from the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Categories

Sources & References

Entry updated January 21, 2022