Kemper
The Story of Kemper
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Kemper as a girl name dates back to 1999, when 6 babies received it. 2023 was its biggest year on record, with 27 newborns named Kemper — #4,871 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 44% of all recorded Kempers. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #5,621 among girl names with 22 births, rising sharply (+35% over the past five years). In total, more than 324 Kempers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Kemper as a boy name dates back to 1912, when 5 babies received it. 2009 was its biggest year on record, with 70 newborns named Kemper — #1,990 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 28% of all recorded Kempers. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,945 among boy names with 28 births, gradually falling (-7%). In total, more than 2K Kempers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Kemper
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kemper is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kemper
What does the name Kemper mean?
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In which U.S. states is Kemper most popular?
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About the name Kemper
Kemper is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Kemper's peak popularity came in 2009 when it ranked #1,850. Use the chart and map above to compare Kemper's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2009 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.